Masood heads home after SC bail

The first MP to lose his seat after the Supreme Court ruling on disqualification of convicted lawmakers, former Union Minister and Congress leader Rasheed Masood, today left the district health centre here for his residence after the apex court granted him bail.
Masood was held guilty by a trial court in September, 2013, of fraudulently nominating undeserving candidates to MBBS seats allotted to Tripura in medical colleges across the country from the central pool when he was the Health Minister in the National Front government in 1990.
An SC bench comprising justices Dipak Misra and Prafulla C Pant granted bail to the 68-year-old leader on Feb. 16 and asked him to furnish a personal bond and a surety of Rs two lakh each.

It also imposed restrictions on Masood and asked him not to leave Uttar Pradesh and Delhi without prior sanction of Delhi High Court, which has been hearing his appeal against conviction and award of jail term in the corruption case.
As Masood left the district health centre today, his supporters garlanded him and also distributed sweets to celebrate his release on bail.
Before heading home, Masood went to meet the owner of the jewellery showroom here where a dacoity took place last week in which gold ornaments worth Rs 9 crore was looted.
He also met the kin of a 24-year-old youth who died after being allegedly beaten up by a group of persons in the Bura Bazaar area here. The youth was thrashed after a woman alleged that he had snatched her gold chain.