Bengaluru: A 48-year-old woman, who had been arrested for reportedly murdering her daughter-in-law was granted bail after Karnataka high court ruled that the accused person's HIV status should be considered while reviewing bail application. The accused woman was in prison since September last year for allegedly torturing her daughter-in-law to death for dowry.

According to reports, the court stated that the sessions court, by its order dated December 31, 2018, rejected the bail application, despite observing that the petitioner is HIV-positive. The fact that the accused-petitioner is HIV-positive is also a factor to be considered while deciding as to whether the petitioner is entitled to be released on bail.

The high court granted bail to the accused after Justice S Sunil Dutt Yadav oversaw the hearing.

Speaking to MyNation, Karnataka high court's designated senior advocate and Karnataka BJP panellist, Vivek Subba Reddy said, "Being HIV positive does not mean they do not have liberty and freedom. It is essential that their liberty is candour and measures should be taken to ensure that they do not use this to their advantage. Containing them in imprisonment, or treating them differently for liberty, is not mentioned anywhere."

While the woman has been granted bail, the court has ordered her to execute a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh.

Earlier, the deceased's parents alleged that her mother-in-law harassed their daughter for dowry and later killed her. The accused, however, denied this and maintained that her daughter-in-law had committed suicide. The deceased was found hanging at her residence on September 25, 2018.