New Delhi: Portuguese authorities have cancelled the work permits of underworld don Abu Salem and his associate, starlet Monica Bedi, highly-placed sources said in New Delhi on October 7 night.

The Portuguese government has been cooperating with India and so far there has been "nothing negative" to suggest that the efforts to bring back Salem from Lisbon have suffered a setback, they said.

CBI Director P C Sharma had refuted on October 6 night reports that the exercise to get Salem back had run into rough weather and that senior officials of the investigating agency had "fruitful" discussions with Portuguese counterparts.

The team, comprising Additional Director Vijay Shanker, Superintendent of Police O P Chatwal and head of CBI's legal cell S K Sharma, which concluded its discussions with Portuguese officials in Lisbon, arrived in New Delhi on October 7.

Salem, a key accused in the 1993 Mumbai blast case, and Bedi had performed "sham marriages" with Portuguese nationals in a bid to get stay and work permits in that country, the sources said, adding that the authorities in Lisbon may take legal action on the marriage issue.

The sources said that the CBI team would brief Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani on their talks in Lisbon.

The task to bring back Salem may take a little longer, they said, adding that CBI still has time as the don and Bedi are detained in Portugal for three months.

PTI