New Delhi; The Supreme Court on Monday granted bail to Lieutenant Colonel Shrikant Prasad Purohit who has been in jail for nine years in the 2008 Malegaon blast case. A bench of Justices R K Agrawal and A M Sapre had reserved its verdict after hearing his plea on August 17. Purohit had moved the apex court challenging the Bombay High Court's order dismissing his bail plea. The court set aside Bombay High Court order denying bail to Purohit in the terror case.

The Apex court said it has imposed certain conditions on Purohit while granting bail.

During the hearing last week, senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for Purohit, had said that his client has been in jail for the past nine years but charges have still not been framed against him. He said the MCOCA charge has already been dropped against him and therefore he is entitled to getting interim bail. Purohit had told the Supreme Court that he has been caught in "political crossfire" and languishing in jail for nine years without even charges being framed against him.