After two years in jail,SC gives Binayak bail

The trial,currently on in the Raipur sessions court,had been alleged to be politically motivated. Twenty-two Nobel Laureates,several MPs and prominent citizens had spoken out against his arrest. Amnesty International had described him as a prisoner of conscience.

The Supreme Court admitted his petition recently after many attempts at getting bail were denied. This morning,as senior counsel Shanti Bhushan rose to present Sens case before the vacation bench of Justices Markandey Katju and Deepak Verma,he was interrupted by Justice Katju.

Bail is granted on personal bond, said the judge,who had read the written brief earlier. The hearing was over in 30 seconds.

Sen was in Raipur being taken from the central jail to the sessions court for the hearing when the news broke. He was quite numb when I first told him, Sens brother Dipankar told The Indian Express. Then,he whispered thank all those who have fought for this, Dipankar added.

Reacting to the order,Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh said: Our stand was clear right from the beginning. Let the law take its own course. We have full faith in the judiciary. Asked if the prosecution had failed to put up a strong case against him,Singh said,bail has nothing to do with the ongoing trial in the court.

Chhattisgarh PUCL president Rajendra Sail welcomed the decision of the apex court. He (Sen) should have got bail two years ago, Sail said. Bail is a matter of right and denial is an exception.

Sail added there was a sense of relief among Sens supporters. Our stand has been vindicated.