Monday, November 21 2005 10:36 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: A day after Monica Bedi, girl friend of underworld don Abu Salem, denied the gangster was her husband, CBI is trying to trace the Muslim cleric who was claimed to have solemnised the marriage between the two in the US.

Where does the Maulvi (cleric) stay? When was the marriage between Salem and Monica solemnised? These are the questions the underworld don, extradited to India from Portugal on charges of being one of the main accused in the 1993 serial bomb blasts in Mumbai, was facing in the aftermath of disclosure made by little-known Bollywood actress Monica Bedi that she was not married to him.

The underworld don refuted her claims before CBI sleuths and claimed the marriage was performed in the United States after Monica changed her religion.

Where is the 'Nikah Nama' (marriage certificate)? Salem was asked and he told them that he neither possessed the original marriage certificate nor its photocopy.

Asked to give the address of the Maulvi who performed the marriage, Salem said he did not remember him, CBI sources said and hinted there was a possibility that he was having a live-in relation with Monica only.

Salem was with her and his first wife Sameera in the US while fleeing from Dawood. However, his US trip was brief following the 9/11 terrorist attack.