Achi news desk-
Mumbai20 days ago
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The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court had also earlier acquitted Saibaba on 14 October 2022. The Supreme Court had stayed this decision the next day. (file photo)
The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has acquitted former Delhi University (UK) professor GN Saibaba and 5 other accused, who were arrested on suspicion of alleged links with Naxalites. The court has canceled his life imprisonment. He has also been granted permission to appeal against the conviction. The bench of Justice Vinay Joshi and Justice Valmiki SA Menezes gave this decision on Tuesday.
This two-judge bench has heard Saibaba’s appeal again. This is because the High Court had released them earlier as well, but the Supreme Court had canceled this order. Saibaba had appealed again on this.
Former Professor GN Saibaba is physically handicapped. He was accused of having links with the Maoist Revolutionary Democratic Front.
Accused Narote dead
Apart from Saibaba, 5 other accused in this case were Hem Mishra, Mahesh Tirkey, Vijay Tirkey, Narayan Sanglikar, Prashant Rahi and Pandu Narote. Narote is already dead. Sai Baba is currently in jail. He was arrested in May 2014. He studied English at Ram Lal Anand UK College. The Gadchiroli sessions court had convicted Saibaba and other accused in March 2017.
Saibaba’s name also came into the limelight after the arrest of Jawaharlal Nehru University student Hem Mishra. Hem claimed that he was working as a messenger between the Naxalites and the Prof hiding in the forests of Abujhmad, Chhattisgarh.
He was also acquitted by the High Court in October 2022
On October 14, 2022, Saibaba was acquitted by the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court. The court had said that Saibaba should be released from jail immediately. After the acquittal of GN Saibaba by the High Court, Tushar Mehta approached the bench of Justice DY Chandrachud on behalf of the Maharashtra government.
Mehta said – Saibaba has been released on a technicality. If he gets out of prison, he will be dangerous for the country. Saibaba has links with Maoists. Justice Chandrachud said you are going to the Chief Justice for urgent hearing, we cannot stop the release.
The Supreme Court prohibits the release of Saibaba
The very next day on October 15, the Supreme Court stayed the decision of the Bombay High Court acquitting Saibaba. A bench of Justice MR Shah and Justice Bela M Trivedi had said that a detailed hearing was required in the case, so Saibaba will not be able to come out of jail at this time.
During the hearing in the Supreme Court, senior advocate R Basant, who appeared on behalf of Saibaba, had said that the former teacher had been in jail for 8 years. He is 55 years old and 90% of his body is not working. Saibaba walks on a wheelchair, so he should no longer be kept in jail. On this, the court said that one does not need a brain but a body to participate in terrorist and Naxalite activities.
The Gadchiroli Court found him guilty in 2017
Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli court in 2017 convicted Saibaba and five others under the UAPA and the Indian Penal Code. Saibaba and four others were sentenced to life imprisonment and one to ten years imprisonment. Saibaba filed an appeal in the Bombay High Court against the decision of the Gadchiroli Court.
GN Saibaba with his wife Vasantha during his appearance in the Bombay High Court.
Arrested on charges of association with Maoism
In 2013, police in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra arrested Maoist-affiliated Mahesh Tirkey, P. Narote and Hem Mishra. After interrogating these three, the police went to court against GN Saibaba. Saibaba was arrested from his home in Delhi on 9 May 2014 on charges of Maoist links. In 2015, a case was registered against Saibaba under UAPA and legal proceedings were initiated.
