Pak scientist Khalil Chishty walks out of jail

Ajmer, Apr 11 (ANI): Pakistani scientist Dr Khalil Chishty walked out of the Ajmer Central Jail on Wednesday after fighting a legal battle for nearly two decades in connection with a murder case.

Chishty expressed his happiness after his release and wished that the Indian Government sent him back to his home in Pakistan, where his children and other family members are eagerly waiting for his return.

"I am happy that I am released from jail. I just want to say to Indian government to try and send me back to Pakistan so that I can meet my family and children," he said.

Chishty, who walked out of the Ajmer Jail after his brother Jameel Chishty furnished two bail bonds of Rs. 50,000 each and a personal surety of Rs. one lakh, further said that he had a comfortable stay and got more than adequate treatment from the doctors despite certain drawbacks in the jail.

"I had a comfortable stay in the jail because I am an old man and secondly I am paralytic. The doctors in jail tried their best to help me but I think the government should provide more medical facilities in hospitals of jail," he said.

Chishty was granted bail by the Supreme Court on Monday.

He was accused of killing a man during a brawl in Ajmer in April 1992. He was visiting the Rajasthan city then to offer prayers at the famous shrine of Sufi saint Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chisty.

In June 2011, Justice Markandey Katju of the Supreme Court appealed to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to release Chishty on humanitarian grounds.

In an email sent to the Prime Minister, Justice Katju said he was making this appeal, not as a judge but as a human being, for the release of Dr. Khalil Chishty, who is old and infirm, under Article 72 of the Constitution.

Acting on Justice Katju's appeal, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot approved his mercy plea and sent it to Governor Shivraj Patil for final clearance. After that, Patil sent a questionnaire to the law department on various issues concerning the case. (ANI)