New Delhi, April 5 (IANS): The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to former Nagpur University professor Shoma K. Sen, who is an accused in the 2018 Bhima Koregaon violence case.

Considering her advanced age with several ailments, a bench presided over by Justice Aniruddha Bose said that Sen should not be denied the benefit of bail.

The bench, also comprising Justice Augustine George Masih, asked Sen not to leave Maharashtra without the permission of the trial court, and share her mobile location with the investigating officer.

While on bail, Sen will have to surrender her passport and tender her residence information and mobile number to the NIA (National Investigation Agency), as per the apex court’s order.

Last year, the Supreme Court sought the response of the anti-terror agency on an application moved by Sen seeking her release.

Sen -- who has been behind bars since June 2018 -- had petitioned the apex court against an order of the Bombay High Court where her application seeking release was disposed of and she was asked to apply afresh for bail before the special NIA court after the investigating agency filed a charge sheet against her and others.

In December 2021, the high court granted default bail to lawyer-activist Sudha Bharadwaj in the same case.

However, the division bench of Justices S.S. Shinde and N.J. Jamadar declined the applications of eight other co-accused in the case, including Sen.