New Delhi: Little-known Bollywood actress and girlfriend of underworld don Abu Salem, Monica Bedi, has approached the Portugal Government for asylum in that country, a move to be opposed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Bedi's approach came after the Portugal High Court ordered her extradition to India for allegedly obtaining fake travel documents in the name of Sanha Kamal Mallick from Hyderabad and fleeing the country using the same papers, CBI sources said today (Dec 9, 2003).

The little-known Bollywood actress has cited again the reasons of minority discrimination among other things as the reason for her seeking asylum in Portugal.

During the trial earlier, Bedi had told the court that she would be discriminated against by the Government as she belonged to the minority community, but the agency countered it and had handed over copies of judgements given out by various courts in the country in support of its contention that the Indian judiciary was impartial.

The application for asylum was moved by Bedi despite the fact she could challenge her extradition to India in the Portuguese Supreme Court.

CBI, meanwhile, was preparing its grounds to oppose this fresh and surprising move and the agency would file an application through the prosecutor general of Portugal, citing its law, under which criminals are barred from any kind of asylum, the sources said.

PTI