Patna High Court on Thursday granted provisional bail to Vinit Kumar, an accused in the Bihar Staff Selection Commission (BSSC) paper leak case and the owner of a printing press in Ahmedabad, from where the question paper was leaked.

Vinit filed an application in the court, seeking provisional bail to visit his 75-year-old father, who was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Ahmedabad.

Senior advocate Y.V. Giri, appearing on behalf of the petitioner, submitted before the court that he had nothing to address on merit of the case, as the matter is required to be heard by another bench of this court. However, the prayer was confined only to grant of provisional bail keeping in view the fact that the petitioner's father was undergoing treatment and his condition was critical.

However, additional public prosecutor Ajay Mishra, appearing on the state government's behalf, vehemently opposed the prayer for grant of provisional bail to the petitioner. In Mishra's view, the presence of the petitioner was not necessary for his father's treatment.

Mishra told the court that the financial support was enough for the treatment of the petitioner's father and as such this court should not grant him provisional bail as the petitioner was the prime accused in the case and if he was released on provisional bail, it may adversely affect the case and he may tamper with evidence.

Allowing Vinit's plea, a single bench of the high court of Justice Anil Kumar Upadhyay granted him bail on humanitarian grounds.

However, the court put forth certain conditions while granting him bail as it said that he had to surrender by June 17. Vinit has also been directed to file a certificate to this effect on June 19 before this court. The court also directed the petitioner to submit his passport before the court.

Justice Upadhyay, in his order, also said one of the bailors of the petitioner shall be his wife and he will not, in any manner, influence the witnesses in this case.

A different bench of Patna High Court is currently hearing Vinit's regular bail petition.