MYSURU: A city court on Monday granted bail to Nalini Balakumar who is booked under sedition charges for displaying ‘Free Kashmir’ placard during a protest at the University of Mysore. Other accused Maridevaiah was also granted bail.
Second Additional District and Sessions Court judge Jerald Rudolph Mendonca granted bail to Nalini and Maridevaiah under eight conditions. The court ordered to release them on bail on executing a personal bond for a sum of Rs 50,000 each with a surety.
“The petitioners shall surrender before the jurisdictional court within a period of one month and furnish the bail and surety as per the order. The petitioners shall not tamper the prosecution witnesses directly or indirectly,” the order said.
The court observed that Nalini is entitled to anticipatory bail in the case as at this stage there were no materials to show that she has any criminal antecedents or connection with banned outfits.
“She has immediately accepted that it is she who has shown the placard and explained her stand. She is a young woman and a student and she has been co-operating with the investigation,” stated the court order.
The court also ordered the accused to not repeat similar offences in future and said them to cooperate with the investigation officer and appear before them as and when called for. In its order, the court ordered Nalini to surrender her passport before the court.