New Delhi, May 10 (IANS): The Supreme Court Thursday granted the octogenerian Pakistani virologist Mohammad Khalil Chisty permission to visit Pakistan during the pendency of his appeal against his conviction in a murder case and life imprisonment. It slated the final hearing of the appeal for Nov 20.

The apex court bench headed by Justice P. Sathasivam permitted Dr. Chisty to visit Pakistan keeping in view his age and the fact that he has been in detention in Ajmer the past 20 years facing trial on a murder charge.

As a condition to let him to go to Karachi, from where he hails, the court directed Dr.Chisty to deposit Rs.5 lakh with the apex court registry within two weeks, and upon reaching Karachi to deposit his passport with the Indian consulate there.

The court said Dr. Chisty would return to India Nov 1 and fixed Nov 20 as the date for the final hearing of his appeal challenging the Rajasthan High Court order upholding his conviction and award of life imprisonment.

Chisty was sentenced to life imprisonment for the death of a person in a brawl with him when he was visiting Ajmer in April 1992. He was granted bail by the apex court April 9 which asked him to make a separate plea for permission to visit Pakistan.