New Delhi: Dr Khalil Chishty, an 80-year-old Pakistani virologist who has spent many years at a prison in Ajmer, has been allowed by the Supreme Court to travel to his home in Karachi.
The scientist was granted bail last month. Human rights activists had been pleading for assistance for him for years. Dr Chishty is unable to walk unaided. He has to be carried by two people.
Pronouncing its order on his plea to return to Karachi, the Supreme Court today said, "Taking into consideration his age ( 80) and his academic qualification and accepting his assurance that he will abide by the law, we permit him to travel to his native country Pakistan."
Since then, he has been in India.
In January 2011, Dr Chisty was awarded life imprisonment after an 18-year-long trial. Till then, he had remained largely under house arrest in Rajasthan, his lawyers say. After he was given the life sentence, he was placed in the Ajmer Jail. Some others convicted in the same case had been granted bail.
Many Pakistani officials had urged India to set Dr Chishty free. His case was reportedly also discussed at a lunch meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari during the latter's one-day India visit last month.
The scientist was granted bail last month. Human rights activists had been pleading for assistance for him for years. Dr Chishty is unable to walk unaided. He has to be carried by two people.
Pronouncing its order on his plea to return to Karachi, the Supreme Court today said, "Taking into consideration his age ( 80) and his academic qualification and accepting his assurance that he will abide by the law, we permit him to travel to his native country Pakistan."
Since then, he has been in India.
In January 2011, Dr Chisty was awarded life imprisonment after an 18-year-long trial. Till then, he had remained largely under house arrest in Rajasthan, his lawyers say. After he was given the life sentence, he was placed in the Ajmer Jail. Some others convicted in the same case had been granted bail.
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Many Pakistani officials had urged India to set Dr Chishty free. His case was reportedly also discussed at a lunch meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari during the latter's one-day India visit last month.
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