Maharashtra Govt Moves SC Against Bombay HC Order Acquitting GN Saibaba In Maoist Links Case

The Maharashtra Government on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court challenging the acquittal of former Delhi University professor GN Saibaba and five other accused in an alleged Maoist links case

Saibaba who is wheelchair-bound and 99 percent disabled is presently lodged in Nagpur Central Jail. This will be the second time the top court will consider the case.

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The Maharashtra Government moved the Supreme Court challenging the acquittal of former Delhi University professor GN Saibaba and five other accused in an alleged Maoist links case. In 2014, GN Saibaba along with other co-accused were arrested on charges of having links with Maoist organisations and waging war against India. They were accused of working for the banned CPI (Maoist) group through front organisations like RDF.

Earlier in the day, the Bombay High Court aquitted GN Saibaba, Hem Mishra, Mahesh Tirkey, Vijay Tirkey, Narayan Sanglikar, Prashant Rahi and Pandu Narote (deceased). Following which the Maharashtra government on Tuesday approached the Supreme Court against the decision, the Bar and Bench reported.

A bench of Justices Vinay Joshi and Valmiki SA Menezes set aside the 2017 verdict by a Gadchiroli court which had convicted Saibaba and others for indulging in activities amounting to waging war against the India.

Evidence including seized pamphlets and electronic material deemed as anti-national was allegedly seized. Saibaba allegedly handed over a 16GB memory card for Naxalites sheltering in the Abuzmad forest area.

 

Saibaba who is wheelchair-bound and 99 percent disabled is presently lodged in Nagpur Central Jail. This will be the second time the top court will consider the case.

In 2022, the Bombay High Court had set aside the conviction by trial court on procedural grounds citing absence of a valid sanction under section 45(1) of the UAPA. Following which the Maharashtra government moved Supreme Court against the order. 

The apex court had then conducted a special Saturday sitting and stayed the High Court order the very next day. Later, the top court overturned the Bombay High Court decision of granting acquittal and asked thehigh court to reevaluate the case again.