Supreme Court has upheld Monica Bedi conviction

Supreme Court has upheld Monica Bedi conviction

Bollywood actress Monica Bedi is on cloud nine, as the Supreme Court has upheld her conviction in the fake passport case. The jail sentence has been reduced to two-and-a-half-years, which she has already spent. Now, she is looking forward to return to films.

The actress said that filmmakers couldn’t sign her because of her pending case. She added that she lost out lots of offers, as she couldn’t travel abroad without the permission of the court. Now that the court has cleared her case, she is looking forward to start a new innings in a big way.

Monica was arrested in 2002 along with Abu Salem (her ex boyfriend) by the Lisbon police for entering Portugal with forged documents. The duo were then deported to India in 2005. Having spent over two years in jail after her extradition from Portugal, she doesn’t have to go back to jail now, as the Supreme Court has reduced her sentence to two-and-a-half-years.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court upheld the conviction of Monica Bedi, former girlfriend of underworld don Abu Salem, in the fake passport case. But it reduced her sentence to two and a half years, which she had already spent in prison.

“It was a long wait but all’s well that ends well,” Monica says. “I am happy that I can apply for a fresh passport and get all the rights which a normal citizen of India can enjoy. Now, I am free to move around the world.”

She added that the verdict would help her return to the silver screen “Producers were hesitant to give me work because of my case,” she said. “I have been losing out on a lot of quality work because I didn’t have a passport. A lot of films required me to travel abroad but I couldn’t go without the court’s permission. Now things are clear and I’m looking forward to a new innings.”

Monica plans to visit her hometown in Punjab on New Year’s Eve. “My parents are coming down to India from Norway next month. I will go to my village and stay with my parents and relatives,” she says.

Any plans to visit Norway? “Yes. After I get my new passport, I will visit my parents’ house in Norway and meet all my childhood friends,” she replies.

But despite everything she has been through, Monica claims that she does not regret her past. “Like everyone, I have gone through ups and down in life too and have come out stronger,” she says, adding, “I don’t want to sit back and crib over my past. Now I just want to move ahead in life and concentrate on my future.”

Monica recently featured in quite a few reality television shows like Bigg Boss, Jhalak Dikh La Ja and Desi Girl. She was offered the second season of Swayamvar but she declined the offer, citing that she wanted to focus on work.

The actress claims she had been approached for a Hindi film and a reality show but refuses to divulge details.

buzzytimes.com