Both the activists walked out of Taloja prison in Navi Mumbai on Saturday afternoon, as few supporters and kin waited outside the prison to receive them, PTI quoted a police official as saying.

With Gonsalves and Ferreira, now five out of the 16 accused arrested in the case are out on bail. While Jesuit priest Stan Swamy — one of the 16 accused — died at a private hospital here in July 2021 during judicial custody.

On Friday, a special court hearing cases related to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) issued their release order, said a lawyer linked to the case.

On 28 July, the Supreme Court granted bail to the two accused, noting that the actual involvement of Gonsalves and Ferreira in any terrorist act has not surfaced from any third-party communications.

The bench was comprised of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Sudhanshu Dhulia. They granted the bail noting that mere holding of certain literature through which violent acts may be propagated would not attract the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

“Because almost five years have elapsed, we are satisfied they have made out a case for bail. The allegations are serious, no doubt, but for that reason alone, bail cannot be denied to them,” the bench said.

Apart from this, the bench also asked the accused not to leave Maharashtra without the trial court’s permission and surrender their passports, adding, the two accused use one mobile each and let the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is probing the case, know their addresses. It also granted liberty to the NIA to seek cancellation of their bail if there is any violation of the bail conditions.

Earlier, the activists had moved the top court against a Bombay High Court order rejecting their bail pleas.

With agency inputs.

Updated: 05 Aug 2023, 06:20 PM IST