Supreme Court Grants Bail Amid Ideological Controversy

The Supreme Court granted bail to Abdul Sathar, linked with the 2022 murder of RSS leader Srinivasan in Kerala. Despite associations with the PFI, no direct role was attributed to him. The Kerala High Court granted bail to 17 other accused, noting concerns of ideological imprisonment.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted bail to Abdul Sathar, a key figure accused in the 2022 assassination of RSS leader Srinivasan, in Palakkad, Kerala. Presiding over the case, Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan noted the lack of direct evidence connecting Sathar to the crime.

Raising concerns over ideological imprisonment, the bench highlighted a troubling trend of incarceration based on beliefs, telling the National Investigation Agency's counsel that holding individuals accountable solely for their ideology is unjust.

In a related development, the Kerala High Court on June 25, 2024, granted bail to 17 of 26 accused PFI members, who faced additional charges of instigating communal violence. The court imposed strict conditions, including mandatory cellphone and GPS monitoring for those released.

(With inputs from agencies.)