A Dhaka court yesterday granted bail to Inqilab Editor AMM Bahauddin in a case filed against him for publishing "baseless" news that Indian forces took part in operations in Satkhira ahead of the January 5 polls.

Metropolitan Magistrate SM Ashiqur Rahman passed the order after Bahauddin along with his lawyer surrendered before it and sought bail.

During the yesterday's hearing, his lawyer Sayeed Ahmed Gazi told the court that his client had recently returned home and he was abroad during the time of publishing the news item.

Earlier the Bangla daily's three other journalists -News Editor Rabiullah Rabi, Deputy Chief Reporter Rafiq Mohammad and Diplomatic Correspondent Ahmed Atique - got bail in the case 36 days after their arrest.

The three were picked up on January 16 in a drive conducted by detective police at the newspaper's office and the law enforcers sealed off the press, platemaking and server rooms, and seized three computers.

Before their detention, the law enforcers filed a case against the paper's editor, publisher, chief reporter and a reporter for publishing the news.

On February 1, the law enforcers opened the printing press of the Inqilab paving the way for resuming its publication.