Supreme Court To Have Special Sitting On Saturday To Hear Maharashtra Govt Appeal Against Discharge Of Prof GN Saibaba & Others

The Supreme Court will have a special sitting on Saturday (tomorrow) at 11 AM to hear the petition filed by Maharashtra Government challenging the discharge of Professor GN Saibaba and others in a UAPA Case.

A bench comprising Justice MR Shah and Bela M Trivedi to hear the matter.

The acquittal verdict was passed by Bombay High Court (Nagpur Bench) on Friday allowing the appeals filed by former Delhi University professor Sai Baba and five others (one of them passed away during the pendency of appeal) in a UAPA case over alleged Maoist links on the ground that the trial was held without valid sanction as per Section 45 of the UAPA. The High Court ordered the immediate release of accused Saibaba, Mahesh Tirki, Hem Keshwdatta Mishra, Prashant Rahi and Vijay Nan Tirki. One of the accused Pandu Pora Narote died in prison in August 2022.

Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta made an urgent mentioning of the matter today evening at the Supreme Court before a bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud(the mentioning was made before Justice Chandrachud as the bench of CJI UU Lalit had risen for the day). Though SG made an oral plea for stay, the bench refused. The bench however permitted the State to seek urgent listing. As per the Supreme Court website, the petition was filed at 3.59 PM today and is indicated as in defect list.

Saibaba, who is 90% disabled and bound by wheel chair due to post polio paralysis, had earlier filed application seeking suspension of sentence on medical grounds. He said that he is suffering from multiple ailments, inlcuding kidney and spinal cord problems. In 2019, the High Court rejected his application to suspend sentence.