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stated in Para 2 of his counter-affidavit), and we see no reason why he should be denied bail. A doctor incarcerated for a long period may end up like Dr. Manette in Charles Dickens's novel A Tale of Two Cities, who forgot his profession and even his name in the Bastille."

45. In Bihar Fodder Scam (Laloo Prasad case) this Court, taking into consideration the seriousness of the charges alleged and the maximum sentence of imprisonment that could be imposed including the fact that the appellants were in jail for a period of more than six months as on the date of passing of the order, was of the view that the further detention of the appellants as pretrial prisoners would not serve any purpose.

Now, in the light of the decisions referred from the side of the petitioners and the decision of the Apex Court in the case of Jaganath Mishra v. C.B.I., reported in (1998) 9 SCC 611, in which the Apex Court granted bail to the former Chief Minister of Bihar, allegedly involved in the Fodder Scam case, on the ground the investigation was over and charge-sheet has been submitted and considering his period of detention in custody and taking into account the aforesaid materials available from the Case Diary as against the petitioners and further facts that four other co-accuseds than whom the present petitioners appears to be standing on better footing and having regards to the number of accuseds sent for trial and the witnesses to be examined in support of the prosecution case, it is not likely that their trial be concluded shortly, we allow the petitioners' prayer for bail.