Octogenarian Pakistani virologist Khalil Chishty, who is undergoing life sentence in a 1992 murder case, has been granted bail by the Supreme Court that also asked the ailing prisoner to file a fresh application for seeking permission to return to his country.
The order comes within a day of Pakistan president Asif Zardari and prime minister Manmohan Singh touching upon Chishty’s prospects of release from 20 years of incarceration at the high security Ajmer jail.
Even Singh had asked home minister P Chidambaram last year to examine the facts relating to Chishty’s case.
A bench of Justices P Sathasivam and J Chelameswar on Monday ordered bail to Chishty considering his old age and the fact that he has been held up in India for the last 20 years after a murder case was lodged against him when he came on a visit to offer namaz at the sacred shrine of Khawaja Moinuddin Chisty at Ajmer.
Judges also agreed to hear the plea by Chishty’s lawyer UU Lalit regarding permission to return to Karachi.
Meanwhile, Chishty has been asked by the top court not to leave Ajmer.
During a visit to his Ajmer to also meet his ailing mother, Chishty had got embroiled in a dispute and, in the melee, it was alleged, one of his neighbours was shot dead, while Chishty’s nephew got injured.
Chishty, a scientist who has delivered lectures at universities in Europe, Africa and Pakistan was arrested and faced the trial that ended up in his conviction.
Last year his aged wife Begum Mehrun Nisa, daughter Shoa Jawaid and grandson Ali Ghalib came to India to appeal that Chishty be released.
It is said that Chishty had two heart attacks and as he fractured his hip bone two years ago, he can’t walk unaided and even for his basic ablutions he needs support and help from others.
In response to a query by the Rajasthan governor regarding Chishty’s condition and if he could be granted remission, district collector of Ajmer last year reported that the victim’s family was against granting mercy to Chishty.
The authorities said Chishty of Karachi was involved in the murder of Mohd. Idrish. Idrish’s wife says that after murder, her mother-in-law and a kid died of shock. After getting all the information from Police this office recommended against the pardon.
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