A bench comprising Justices B Sudershan Reddy and S S Nijjar granted bail to Agarwal after hearing all the parties and also suspended the life imprisonment awarded to him by the Kolkata-based trial court.
"There shall be suspension of sentence awarded by the trial court and the appellant is directed to be released on bail to the satisfaction of the trial court," the apex court said while granting bail.
Earlier, the Calcutta High Court had refused to grant him bail, following which Agarwal had approached the apex court. A fast-track court in Kolkata had on January 29 sentenced Agarwal and four others to life imprisonment for conspiring to kill a tea stall owner whose shop came in the way of a food plaza he was building.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment under Section 120B (criminal conspiracy), besides 10 years rigorous imprisonment under section 307/34 (attempt to murder/common intention).
Published 21 September 2010, 15:16 IST