A fast track court in Dharamsala granted bail to four accused arrested in connection with the ragging of MBBS student Aman Kachroo who died after being allegedly beaten up by his seniors.
       
Judge Purinder Vaidya on Saturday granted bail to Ajay Verma, Naveen Verma, Abhinav Verma and Mukul Sharma, who were charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, on bond of Rs 50,000.
     
The judge said since the statements of the witnesses have been recorded and material evidence taken into account, the accused were given bail.
     
Aman Kachroo (19), a first year MBBS student at Rajindra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda (Kangra), was allegedly thrashed by his seniors and he subsequently died on March 8, 2009.
      
The state government not only ordered a magisterial inquiry into the cause of Aman's death but also passed the Anti Ragging Act, providing for stringent punishment in such cases.
     
The magisterial inquiry into the incident concluded that Aman Kachroo died due to injuries sustained in ragging on March 7 and also held the Principal of the College Suresh Sankhyan responsible for it.
     
The inquiry report pointed out that Kachroo was subjected to intense physical ragging in the early hours on March 7.
     
Rajinder Kachroo, father of Aman Kachroo expressed disappointment over the bail to the accused and said it was a setback for the campaign against ragging.
     
"Definitely, it's a setback, I am highly disappointed by the latest court ruling. It certainly gives a wrong message", he said.
     
The next hearing in the case has been fixed for August 2.