The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to Nikhat Bano, the wife of Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) MLA Abbas Ansari, who was arrested for alleged unlawful meeting with her husband in jail.
A bench of Justices A S Bopanna and M M Sundresh granted the relief, noting that the petitioner is a woman and mother of a one-year-old child.
"Keeping in view the fact that the petitioner is a lady and has a one year old child, and in that background keeping in view the nature of allegations made against the petitioner herein, we deem it appropriate that the petitioner be released on bail subject to appropriate conditions being imposed by the trial court.
"Among the other bail conditions, one of the conditions shall be to visit the prison to meet her husband only after obtaining appropriate orders from the trial court," the bench said.
The top court also directed Nikhat Bano not to violate any of the bail conditions imposed on her.
She had moved the apex court challenging an order of the Allahabad High Court which had rejected her bail plea.
The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court had on May 29 rejected her bail plea in view of the seriousness of the allegations.
In February, the police and the district administration of Chitrakoot had raided the Chitrakoot district jail on getting information about Abbas Ansari's meeting with his wife and his driver Niyaz in contravention of rules.
A number of mobile phones and other material, including foreign currency, were found in Nikhat Bano's possession. Both Nikhar Bano and Niyaz were subsequently arrested.
She faces the charges of threatening witnesses, making facilities available in jail for her husband, luring and giving gifts to jail officials and staff.
Faraz Khan, who had helped Nikhat get a house near the Chitrakoot jail and facilitated her meeting with Abbas Ansari, the son of former MLA and gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, was also arrested.
Police had also arrested jail warden Jagmohan, jailor Santosh Kumar, jail superintendent Ashok Kumar Sagar and deputy jailor Chandrakala.
A charge sheet has already been filed in this matter against Abbas Ansari, Nikhat Bano, Niyaz, Khan and Navneet Sachan.
A case was registered against them on February 11 at Karvi police station on a complaint by sub-inspector Shyam Dev Singh.
Abbas Ansari, the MLA from Mau, is in prison in a money laundering case.
-With PTI Input
