KOLKATA, July 26, 2008 (AFP) - Two Czech scientists arrested in India for allegedly stealing rare butterflies and insects in order to sell them on the Internet were granted bail on the weekend, an official said Saturday.

Emil Kucera, 52, and Petr Svacha, 51, were arrested last month at a hotel in Darjeeling in northeastern India. Officials said they were caught with more than 50 species of butterflies and rare insects captured in a national park.

The pair were granted bail by a Darjeeling court Friday, said assistant divisional forest officer Utpal Nag. An earlier bail application had been denied.

'The court?has?asked them not to leave Darjeeling without the permission of the authorities and to appear before police twice a week,' said Nag.

Their next court hearing is on August 12, he added.

The forest official has said Indian authorities have a strong case against the visiting scientists.

'We have received copies of material downloaded by them from the Internet that reveal their intention,' he said, adding that Svacha had posted a note online offering to sell the butterflies for a specified price.

'They are not as ignorant as they claim. A pen drive seized from the two Czech nationals contains the map of the Singalila National Park where they were collecting insects and butterflies,' Nag said.

The pair, who deny the charges, have received support from the international scientific community and a petition with more than 500 signatures demanding their release has been presented to the Indian prime minister.