New Delhi: The Supreme court on Thursday posted to January 17 the hearing of the petition of the Maharashtra government against the Bombay High Court order granting acquittal to former Delhi University Professor GN Saibaba, accused of having Maoist links. The bench comprising Justice MR Shah and Justice Hima Kohli directed that if a counter needs to be filed in the said case, it should be filed within 10 days.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, speaking on behalf of the centre, assured that all compilation of evidence will be submitted within a week. In its earlier hearing, the court had set aside the Bombay High Court order that had granted acquittal to Saibaba. It had also refused Saibaba's plea to allow his house arrest and release him from jail on account of his poor health conditions and disability.
Back in 2014, Saibaba was arrested for alleged Maoist links and was convicted for indulging in activities against the country under UAPA and IPC in 2017, with life imprisonment as his quantum of punishment. Later, on October 14, the Bombay HC had acquitted him.
