In Bhopal jail since late 2006, Monica has turned out stylishly for court appearances

Bhopal, March 23: She appeared too innocent to be involved with gangsters. Now, she looks too alluring to be in a jail without a beauty parlour. Monica Bedi is fighting an image battle even as her legal tussle is far from over.

Bhopal is agog with talk of the charm Abu Salem’s former companion still oozes, the curiosity about her looks reaching the Assembly. “Does Bhopal jail have a beauty parlour? If so, will similar parlours be opened elsewhere?” wondered the lone CPM MLA Ramlakhan Sharma.

The minimalist Rewa legislator, attired in no more than a loincloth, has been sent to jail over 30 times for political reasons. He found it surprising that Monica’s appearance should show no signs of life being spent in grimy cells.

Congress MLA Arif Aqueel was inquisitive about her wardrobe. “How is she decked up so well all the time? Every time she goes to court, she is dressed up so well. She seems to have a very nice collection of clothes.”

In one of the personal hearings — the earlier ones were in-camera and through video conferencing for security reasons — the former Bollywood starlet sported jeans and a top barely a hankerchief’s length. In the next one, it was a green-and-yellow short kurta and chooridar. These became fodder for gossip, as did her pearl earrings that she wore in one of the court trips.

Minister for jails Antar Singh Arya, stressed that as an accused, Monica was entitled to wear what she liked. “We aren’t giving her preferential treatment,” he said, adding there was no plan to open parlours inside jails.

Aqueel couldn’t get over the dress debate even after he had stepped out of the Assembly, but said he was raising the issue in “public interest”.

He spoke of his neighbours who were “intrigued” by the actress’s clothes and sartorial sense. “In a jeans and a top, she looks most attractive. When she is in floral salwar kameez, she looks most innocent,” the MLA went on.

Monica, in Bhopal jail for the past seven to eight months, has been facing trial in a November 2001 fake passports case along with Salem and his wife Sameera Jumani.

Jail authorities deny any special favours. “She is treated like any of the 2,400-odd inmates,” said inspector-general (prison) R.K. Diwakar. Only on Diwali last year, Monica was offered halwa and puri, but the special festival meal was shared by others, too, he said.

From being considered as a “B-grade” actress in Bollywood, Monica is now a near celebrity here. She always was, actually.

In December 2005, policemen had jostled to get themselves photographed with her while their wives sent her home-cooked food. Most believed the actress was too innocent to have links with dreaded gangsters.