The Madras high court on Friday granted bail to editor of Tamil biweekly Nakeeran R R Gopal.

A division bench comprising Justice P Shanmugam and Justice A K Rajan granted bail to Gopal, who is being held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, on a habeas corpus petition filed by his brother Guruswamy.

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The bench held that designated POTA judge L Rajendran had not taken note of Supreme Court's directions pertaining to arrests while extending the remand of Gopal.

However, he is not likely to be released from prison because there are other cases pending against him.

The journalist had been booked under the anti-terrorism law earlier this year after a revolver and a pamphlet of a banned organisation were allegedly recovered from his possession when he was taken to the Crime Branch-CID headquarters of the Tamil Nadu police for questioning in connection with a separate case.

Gopal is suspected of being an associate of sandalwood smuggler and bandit Veerappan.

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