Tuesday, November 15 2005 19:37 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: Extradited underworld don Abu Salem and his girlfriend-wife Monica Bedi married two Portugal partners on paper to get Portuguese citizenship so as to avoid any chance of extradition, CBI sources said here today(Nov 15, 2005).

"It was Salem, who first married a Portuguese girl, while subsequently Monica too joined him, sources said refusing to reveal the identity of the two partners of the gangster and his wife. The marriages took place almost an year before Salem was caught by police in 2002", they said.

Salem partially succeeded in his attempt as he received a permanent residency status for himself and Monica in Portugal, where laws allow such status to the spouses of Portuguese citizens, the sources said.

"After the residency status, the duo planned to apply for citizenship and in that event it would have been difficult to have them extradited," the sources added.

Salem ran out of luck in the intermittent period when he was caught by Portuguese authorities on the basis of a red corner notice is by the Interpol against him.

Recovery of forged Pakistani passport added to his woes.

"He (Salem) had cleverly decided to settle down in Lisbon as he wanted to evade Indian investigation agencies," sources added.

They said that while Salem claims Monica to be his wife, they are yet to come across any document suggesting that both were married.

Salem and Monica were arrested by Portuguese authorities in 2002 and charged with possession of forged documents. They stayed in jail as their pleas before local courts to prevent extradition was not accepted.