Calcutta, Aug. 12: In an unprecedented order, Calcutta High Court today released from jail Trisha Roy, one of the convicts of the Bunty murder case, who was sentenced to life imprisonment by a trial court in February 2003. Generally, the court does not grant bail to a life-term prisoner.

The division bench of Justice A. Talukdar and Justice P.K. Deb, while granting her bail petition, observed that the trial court had convicted Trisha on the basis of “circumstantial evidence only and not by direct evidence.”

Shop-owner Sanjiv Jhulka, alias Bunty, who had had an affair with Trisha, was allegedly murdered by Gabbar, alias Rashid Ahmed, and two of his accomplices in May 2001.

Gabbar, a history-sheeter, was hired by Ranvijay Rathore, one-time friend of Bunty’s, who later developed a relationship with Trisha. Rathore has been charged with eliminating Bunty.

The murder had sent shock waves. Police recovered Bunty’s body from the EM Bypass. Later, it was revealed that Gabbar had shot him dead in a car owned by Rathore and had tossed the body out of.

The vehicle was found in a spot under Taltala police station. Both Trisha and Gabbar were convicted by Alipore Fast Track Court judge S.C. Chatterjee and sentenced to life imprisonment.