Ramani at the Patiala House courts on Wednesday. (PTI)

New Delhi, Sept. 15: A beaming Bina Ramani left the Patiala House courts today, accompanied by daughter Malini, after being granted bail in a case of forgery.

The socialite’s nine-day stay behind bars, first in a police station and then at Tihar Jail, is over but her troubles may not be.

The police revealed today that a charge carrying much higher punishment — tampering with evidence in the Jessica Lal murder case — was slapped against her earlier this year. The police were responding to a query from additional chief metropolitan magistrate Kamini Lau on any other cases where Ramani is either a witness or an accused.

The special investigation team (SIT) looking into the murder believes Ramani cleaned all bloodstains from Tamarind Court, her restobar where Lal was shot dead in 1999 allegedly by Manu Sharma. Lal, who was bartending, had refused to serve him a drink because it was late.

Ramani, who has admitted to being present at the time of the crime, has been charged under Section 201 of the Indian Penal Code for causing “evidence of the commission of the offence to disappear”. She has also been charged with “screening the offender from legal punishment.”

These charges, if proved, could send the socialite to a maximum of 10 years in prison.

Equally serious in terms of punishment — but tougher to prove — is the charge under Section 34 of the IPC, where Ramani is accused of being party to “a criminal act done by several persons, in furtherance of the common intention of all”.

If found guilty, she could face the same charges as main accused Manu Sharma, provided he is proved guilty.

Ramani has also been charged with criminal conspiracy, under Section 120(b) of the IPC.

For the present though, Ramani has time to “recuperate from her trauma”.

“She has been through a lot over the past few days. We are happy she is coming home,” a friend said. The socialite has been asked by the court not to speak to the media.

Yesterday, she had been moved from a cell she had to herself to another she had to share with common criminals, including murderers, Tihar officials said. Malini, a frequent visitor since her mother was taken into custody, came with a change of clothes to Tihar, the officials said.

Ramani’s passport has been impounded by the court and she was asked to furnish a Rs 2-lakh bail bond. She will also have to appear before the SIT every Saturday, and whenever needed for the investigation into the forgery case.

The police have not ruled out seeking her arrest on the charges disclosed today.