SC impleads government on Pakistani virologist's plea

New Delhi, May 4 (IANS) The Supreme Court Friday asked the central government to state its position on ailing Pakistani virologist Mohammad Khalil Chisty, who has sought permission to visit his country after being granted bail in a 20-year-old murder case in India.

The apex court bench of Justice P. Sathasivam and Justice J. Chelameswar impleaded the ministries of external affairs and home as party to 80-year-old Chisty's plea seeking directions to visit his home in Karachi.

The court impleaded the central government after the Rajasthan government said it had no role in Chisty's plea.

Chisty was awarded life imprisonment for the death of a person in a brawl when he was visiting Ajmer in April 1992. He was granted bail by the apex court April 9 which had then asked him to make a separate plea for permission to visit Pakistan.

At the time of being granted bail, Chisty was told to move a separate application pleading for permission to go visit Karachi.

In the last hearing, the state government told the court that the Pakistani doctor had visa only for Ajmer and could not move out of that city. He said that any change in the status of Chisty's visa could only be done by the central government.

The court would next hear the case May 7.