Monica to appeal on judgement in fake passport case

Hyderabad, Sep 29 (UNI) Ms Monica Bedi, who was earlier today convicted in the fake passport case and sentenced to five years rigorous imprisonment by a Special CBI Court, tonight said she would go to higher court to get 'justice'.

Speaking to newspersons at the court premises here, Ms Monica said ''there was no evidence and witnesses to suggest her envolvement in the ake passport case. ''My cousel would file a petition in the higher court as early as possible,'' she said.

''I was not in India during the time when the fake passport issue raised. I hope I would get justice in a higher court'', she said.

''I am not girl friend to anybody and I did not marry anybody'', she said.

A Special CBI court suspended till October 27 the sentence of three-year rigorous imprisonment to the three accused in a fake passport case while Monica, allegedly girlfriend of underworld don Abu Salem, would undergo five-year RI in the same case.

Earlier, the two accused Abdul Sattar, a retired Sub-Inspector of police and Gokari Saheb, a postman--were sentenced to five-year RI and Younos Khan, a retired Revenue Inspector was awarded three-year imprisonment.

After changing the sections, the Judge reduced the imprisonment of Abdul Sattar and Gokari Saheb from five to three-year imprisonment.

The court has suspended the sentence of the three accused, who aided Monica in getting the fake passport, till October 27 for an appeal before the High Court after their defence advocate filed a petition in the court immediately after the judge delivered the verdict.

However, two others-- Noor-ul-Ahmed and G Srinivas-- were acquitted.

Senior Public Prosecutor T Venkata Ramanna said the accused were convicted under Sections 120 b (cheating), 419 (knowingly using forged documents) and 420 (forgery for the purpose of cheating) of the IPC.

Monica, the main accused in the case, was produced before the court amid tight security this morning. The remand period, she had served, would be considered as part of the five-year imprisonment.

She was, however, given permission to appeal to the High Court against the judgment, in a month.

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