Bombay High Court admits model Preeti Jain's appeal, bail extended

The Bombay High Court on Monday admitted the appeal filed by actor Preeti Jain, challenging her conviction of three years given by a session's court for conspiring to kill award-winning film-maker Madhur Bhandarkar. The court also extended her bail until June 7, granted by the session's court.

Jain had prayed to the court to suspend the jail term and release her on regular bail. The prosecutor sought time to take instructions. Accordingly, the court posted the appeal for hearing after vacation. On April 28, a trial court had held Preeti and two others guilty of conspiring to kill Bhandarkar and had sentenced them to three years' imprisonment.

Soon after sentencing, the trial court had allowed her to appeal in the high court and for that granted her bail and leave to appeal. In 2004, Preeti — a model and aspiring actor — had lodged a complaint against Bhandarkar accusing him of raping her 16 times since 1999. Preeti had alleged that Bhandarkar under the pretext of giving her a lead role, had forced himself on her.

Bhandarkar had denied the allegations and in 2012 the Supreme Court had quashed the rape case. In 2005, Preeti was arrested for conspiring to kill the film director. The film-maker was one of the 51 witnesses produced before the trial court.