SC notice on Monica Bedi's petition

NEW DELHI, July 10 (UNI): The Supreme Court today issued notices to the state of Madhya Pradesh on a petition filed by Monica Bedi, wife of underworld don Abu Salem, seeking transfer of the passport forgery case against him from Bhopal to either Delhi or Mumbai.

A bench comprising Chief Justice K G balakrishnan and Jusrice R V Raveendran issued notices after hearing counsel for Monica, who contended free and fair trial was not possible in Bhopal court under the present circumstances.

The counsel also pleaded for transfer of trial either to Delhi or Mumbai to ensure free and fair trial to which the petitioner is fully entitled.

The petitioner also contended that she cannot be subjected to double jeopardy for the same offence.

She has already been convicted in a Hyderabad court and was given five years imprisonment for travelling on forged passport.

The sentence was however reduced to three years by the Andhra Pradesh High Court on appeal.