Monica hearing: Driver deposes

Bhopal, Feb 20 (UNI) A local court today recorded two witnesses' statements and accepted applications by the defence and the prosecution in a fake passports case wherein underworld don Abu Salem and his starlet-girlfriend Monica Bedi stand accused.

Monica's driver Mukesh Sharma and ration card official Umashankar Verma deposed before Chief Judicial Magistrate Raveendra Singh.

''I conveyed Ms Bedi by car to Nepal's Sanoni border,'' said Mr Sharma.

Mr Verma said that prior to 1995, the system of door-to-door verification for ration cards did not exist.

Defence Counsel P C Bedi objected against the prosecution not presenting a trial programme. The bench accepted the application and directed the prosecution to present the programme.

Public Prosecutor R K Motwani urged that Deputy Inspector-General (Central Bureau of Investigation) O P Chhanwal and the CBI's Officer on Special Duty Raveen Sharma be included in the list of witnesses.

The hearing will continue tomorrow.

UNI