77 former Maruti workers get bail

Gurgaon, March 17 (IANS) A court here on Tuesday granted bail to 77 then workers of Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. who were jailed after they were involved in violence at the company's Manesar plant in July 2012.

Additional District and Sessions Judge S.K. Khanduja granted bail to the 77 workers.

A total of 148 workers were sent to jail after the July 18, 2012 violence at the company's plant in Manesar, Haryana. The violence at the plant left human resource department head Ashwin Kumar Dev dead and over 50 people injured.

Two workers were earlier granted bail by the Supreme Court on February 23, a defence lawyer said.

"The court ordered the release of 77 workers on behalf of Rs.25,000 surety bond each," defence counsel Monu Kuhar told IANS.

He said the rest of the jailed workers would also soon apply for bail.

The workers were arrested and sent to jail on charges of murder, attempt to murder and criminal conspiracy.

The violence took place after a company supervisor allegedly abused and slapped a worker. Services of nearly 2,500 workers, including 546 permanent employees, were terminated after the incident.

Maruti declared a lockout for over a month, causing a loss of several crores of rupees.