Court orders release of Uma Bharti

Chief Judicial Magistrate First Class Mohammed Ismail allowed the application filed by the Additional Public Prosecutor in 2002 for withdrawal of cases against Bharti and 21 others.

The court also rejected a batch of five applications filed by social activists, including journalist Gauri Lankesh, challenging the Karnataka Government's decision to withdraw the cases.

The magistrate pronounced his brief order in the court hall and it was communicated to the Hubli sub-jail authorities to take steps for Bharti's release.