By India Tomorrow Staff Reporter,
New Delhi, 07 Feb 2014: The Supreme Court of India on Friday granted bail to tribal teacher Soni Sori and her nephew journalist-cum-activist Lingaram Kodopi. They have been charged by the Chhattisgarh government for helping Maoists and receiving money from Essar group on behalf of the Maoists.
A bench comprising justice S. S. Nijjar and justice A. K. Sikri granted them regular bail and allowed them to visit Chhattisgarh. In November last year, the apex court granted interim bail and restrain to visit Chhattisgarh.
According to the police, Kodopi was arrested on 09 September 2011 from a weekly market in Palnar village in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district with Rs 15 lakh in cash. Police claimed Kodopi wanted to pay the amount to Maoists. Police also had said that his aunt Sori was also there, but she had managed to escape.
Sori was arrested on 04 October 2011 in New Delhi. DVCS Verma, general manager of Essar Steel Ltd was also arrested, but a Dantewada court had granted him bail.
