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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