Pappu Yadav to go back to jail: SC

NEW DELHI: Former RJD MP Pappu Yadav will be arrested and taken back to jail more than a year after being out as the Supreme Court on Monday cancelled the bail granted to him by Patna High Court in the Ajit Sarkar murder case.
The Patna HC was criticised by a Bench comprising Justices Markandey Katju and A K Patnaik, which said it was in breach of the apex court's April 2006 order clearly laying down that no court would entertain Pappu's bail plea in public interest.
Setting aside the HC order granting him bail on February 18, 2009, the Bench said, "Despite clear orders passed by us in 2006 and 2007 that no bail should be granted by any court, it is a matter of regret that the HC has gone ahead and granted bail."
In its November 16, 2006, order, the SC had said, "We are of the opinion that while it is true that Article 21 is of great importance because it enshrines the fundamental right to individual liberty, but at the same time a balance has to be struck between the right to individual liberty and the interest of society."
Noting that Pappu had been in custody for a long period, the SC had said, "It would, in our opinion, be wholly inappropriate to grant bail when not only the investigation is over but even the trial is partly over, and the allegations against the appellant are serious."
Pappu was convicted under IPC Section 302 (murder) and Section 120(b) (criminal conspiracy) for plotting the murder of Sarkar, a CPM leader, in June 1998. His appeal against conviction is pending in the HC.