Kerala HC grants bail to Madhani

Kochi, Aug 1: The Kerala High Court today granted bail to PDP leader Abdul Nazar Madhani in a murder attempt case pending before an additional sessions court in Kollam district.

Justice R Basant directed that Madhani be released on bail after Director General of Prosecution P G Thamby submitted that the police had no objection to Madhani being released on bail in the case, in which he was oneof the accused.

The case is related to an attack on the police force at Ochira in Kollam by PDP supporters during a 'hartal' called by the party.

Madhani was charged under sections 307 and 332 IPC.

Madhani's People's Democratic Party (PDP), appealing for his release, submitted before the High Court that Madhani had been acquitted in the Coimbatore serial blast case earlier today.

Madhani had earlier been given bail in the Kollam case but the same was cancelled as he could not appear before the additional sessions court as he was in jail in Coimbatore.

Directing his release on bail today, Justice Basant observed, ''I am satisfied that he is entitled to be released on bail. There was no wilful conduct on the part of the petitioner not to appear before the court as he was in jail,''the judge observed.

He directed that Madhani be released on furnishing a bail bond of Rs 25,000 and two solvent sureties of the same amount. He also directed the PDP leader to appear before the sessions court on all hearing days.

UNI