Andhra Pradesh   

5-year jail for Monica Bedi in fake passport case

Special Correspondent

Revenue official, Assistant SI and postman get three-year jail

HYDERABAD: Monica Bedi, film actress and companion of underworld don Abu Salem, was sentenced to five-year rigorous imprisonment by the Special Court of CBI here on charges of cheating, criminal conspiracy and impersonation while securing a fake passport from Kurnool.

The magistrate also handed out a three-year prison term to Mandal Revenue Inspector Mohd. Younus, Assistant SI Abdul Sattar, and postman Gokhari Saheb — all hailing from Kurnool — and acquitted two others. They were accused of assisting her in obtaining the fake passport.

Abu Salem, the main accused who is now in judicial custody in Mumbai in connection with the serial bomb blasts, is yet to appear in the case.

His wife Sameera Zumani, who is second accused, and two passport agents are at large.

Shifted to women's prison

After several hours of formalities following pronouncement of the judgment, Monica Bedi was shifted to Chanchalguda women's prison here where she has been lodged since her extradition from Portugal along with Abu Salem in November last year.

However, the three others were released after the judge admitted their petition for suspension of sentence to move the High Court within a month.

The magistrate examined 38 out of 63 witnesses and perused 79 documents presented by the prosecution before delivering the verdict.

The prosecution sought a maximum sentence of seven years for Monica Bedi as the charge against her had been proved but she was awarded five years for cheating and three years each for conspiracy and impersonation.

The terms would run concurrently. The judge rejected a memo filed by the CBI to consider the 10-month jail term in Portugal as part of the sentence. Monica Bedi's counsel had also made a similar plea.

To move High Court

Monica Bedi's counsel S. Pradeep Kumar said his client would appeal against the judgment and seek a bail when the High Court reopens after Dasara vacation on October 7.

The Bhopal High Court had earlier rejected a bail application in another fake passport case against her.

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