India on Wednesday filed an appeal before Portugal's supreme court challenging the rejection of its plea for extradition of underworld don Abu Salem's companion, Monica Bedi, by a local court.

A Central Bureau of Investigation spokesperson in New Delhi said the appeal was filed through the prosecutor general at Lisbon.

The lower court had rejected the Indian plea on the ground that the offences committed by Bedi in India and Portugal were the same and that she could be tried in that country.

Portugal is trying Monica and Salem for forging documents that enabled the latter to marry a local girl and Monica a local man.

The gangster procured a resident work permit after the marriage.

In its appeal, the CBI stated that Bedi had submitted forged documents to obtain passports whereas the crime committed in Portugal was possession of forged documents, the spokesman said, adding, the two crimes were different.

The Portuguese police had arrested Salem, Bedi and Syed Haider in Lisbon on September 18, 2002, for staying in the country on the basis of forged documents.

Salem, whose extradition proceedings are also going on in the same court, has submitted that he would be harassed if he were sent back.

India has already sent its reply to the court disputing his submission.