Monica Bedi

New Delhi/Chandigarh, May 17: The Supreme Court today granted bail to Monica Bedi in a Hyderabad passport forgery case, but it may be a month before she is freed from a Bhopal jail.

A two-judge bench headed by Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan said Monica, when she is released, should not leave Hoshiarpur in Punjab, her home district, and be available for questioning whenever required.

It also directed her to submit her passport to Hyderabad police.

Andhra Pradesh High Court had awarded Monica a three-year sentence in the case, in which underworld don Abu Salem and his wife Sameera Jumani are also accused. Monica was brought to India from Portugal in November 2005 along with Salem.

But the one-time Bollywood starlet cannot go home yet as the trial in another passport forgery case against her is under way in Bhopal.

Senior advocate K.T.S. Tulsi, appearing for Monica, argued that she should be granted bail on humanitarian grounds considering she has lost 10 kg during her stay in the Bhopal jail.

He underlined that the maximum sentence for Monica’s offence was two years, and she had already spent 18 months behind bars.

Tulsi also argued that there wasn’t sufficient evidence against his client as the handwriting expert had confirmed that the signature on the forged passport was not hers.

The advocate contended that his client had undergone three years’ imprisonment in Portugal for using a forged passport and could not be again convicted of the same offence.

“It will be a violation of her fundamental rights if she is punished again by an Indian court.”

Tulsi also argued for bail in the Bhopal case as the court there “was inordinately delaying” the trial. The court is unlikely to conclude the proceedings anytime soon, he said.

But the bench said: “Let us watch how the trial progresses. If it is not possible to complete the trial, then we will take up the bail petition.”

Monica’s lawyer in Bhopal, Santosh Verma, said he would soon move a bail application before the trial court, where the recording of evidence is over.

The court has fixed June 16 for the next hearing.

Monica’s family hailed the apex court order. “It shows there is justice in the country for those who are innocent,” Monica’s brother Bobby said over the phone from Drammen, Norway, where the family is based.

Insisting that his sister had nothing to do with Salem’s underworld dealings, Bobby said the family would abide by whatever decision the Bhopal court takes.

“The Bhopal case is being delayed by the prosecution. With summer vacations, the case will be delayed further. We hope Monica will be freed in July,” he said.

Bobby said his sister would stay in Chhabewal village, 10 km from Hoshiarpur town, till she is cleared of all charges.

“The family stands united in her defence. We were with her earlier; we are with her now and we shall always remain at her side.”