ID :
12180
Fri, 07/11/2008 - 12:09
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/12180
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Lone Kanishka bombing convict gets bail after 20 years in jail
Toronto, July 11 (PTI) The only man ever convicted for the 1985 Air India Kanishka airliner bombing that killed 329 people mostly of Indian origin has been granted bail for the first time after spending 20 years in jail but will have tofurnish a whopping USD 500,000 bond.
Inderjit Singh Reyat, 55, has been behind bars for two convictions related to the terror attack and an explosion the same day at Narita airport in Japan. He had completed his sentence in February but remained in custody awaiting histrial for perjury which will begin in January.
Reyat was charged two years ago with perjury for allegedly lying 27 times during his September 2003 testimony at the Air India trial in which two other suspects Ajaib Singh Bagri and Ripudaman Singh Malik were acquitted, sparkingoutarge among the victims' families.
Appeal Court Justice Anne Rowles Wednesday overturned Associate Supreme Court Justice Patrick Dohm's decision in March denying Reyat bail on the grounds that it wouldundermine public confidence in the system.
The conditions of Reyat's release were kept secret, though Attorney-General Wally Oppal described them as "extremely strict." But media reports said Reyat will have to raiseUSD500,000 bail before he is released from jail.
"I think it is safe to say that they are about as strict as you can get. I am not prepared to go any further than that. But I think the public should know that," Oppalsaid.
"We're disappointed," Opal said, adding a decision on whether to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada will be madeby the special prosecutor in charge of the case.
The ruling also drew flak from relatives of the victims. PTI
Inderjit Singh Reyat, 55, has been behind bars for two convictions related to the terror attack and an explosion the same day at Narita airport in Japan. He had completed his sentence in February but remained in custody awaiting histrial for perjury which will begin in January.
Reyat was charged two years ago with perjury for allegedly lying 27 times during his September 2003 testimony at the Air India trial in which two other suspects Ajaib Singh Bagri and Ripudaman Singh Malik were acquitted, sparkingoutarge among the victims' families.
Appeal Court Justice Anne Rowles Wednesday overturned Associate Supreme Court Justice Patrick Dohm's decision in March denying Reyat bail on the grounds that it wouldundermine public confidence in the system.
The conditions of Reyat's release were kept secret, though Attorney-General Wally Oppal described them as "extremely strict." But media reports said Reyat will have to raiseUSD500,000 bail before he is released from jail.
"I think it is safe to say that they are about as strict as you can get. I am not prepared to go any further than that. But I think the public should know that," Oppalsaid.
"We're disappointed," Opal said, adding a decision on whether to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada will be madeby the special prosecutor in charge of the case.
The ruling also drew flak from relatives of the victims. PTI
