Five accused in Armstrong murder case get bail as CBI probe stalls

A court has ordered the release on bail of five accused persons in the Armstrong murder case, citing prolonged incarceration and lack of progress in the investigation. The accused have spent more than two years in prison awaiting trial, prompting the judicial intervention.

The court's decision came after observing that the Central Bureau of Investigation has yet to file a final report in the matter. A judge hearing the case noted that the probe remains at the First Information Report stage, following the earlier quashing of a final report that had been submitted by the agency.

The development marks a significant setback in the investigation, which has faced multiple procedural hurdles. The quashing of the previous final report forced the CBI to restart its investigative process, leaving the case in a preliminary stage despite years of inquiry.

With the bail grant, the five accused are now expected to be released from custody pending further developments in the case. Legal experts note that the prolonged detention without substantial progress in the investigation has increasingly become a factor in bail decisions by Indian courts, balancing the right to liberty against investigative requirements.