Bombay HC Acquits G N Saibaba in 2017 Maoist Links Case, Ex-Prof Walks Free

The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court on Friday acquitted former Delhi University professor G N Saibaba in an alleged Maoist links case and ordered his immediate release from jail. He is currently lodged at the Nagpur central prison. A division bench of Justice Rohit Deo and Anil Pansare allowed the appeal filed by Saibaba challenging the 2017 order of the trial court convicting him and sentencing him to life imprisonment.

In March 2017, a sessions court in Gadchiroli district convicted Saibaba few others for alleged Maoist links and for indulging in activities amounting to waging war against the country. The court had held Saibaba and the others guilty under various provisions of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Indian Penal Code (IPC). (With Inputs From The Wire)

Gokarakonda Naga Saibaba, commonly known as G. N. Saibaba, belongs to a farmers' family from Amalapuram, a town in East Godavari of Andhra Pradesh. He has been wheelchair-bound since the age of five due to polio and has suffered several health problems during his 5-year jail term served so far. He is now  90% physically handicapped. The ex DU Professor obtained his M.A. in English from the University of Hyderabad and his PhD from Delhi University.

Saibaba taught English at Ram Lal Anand College of Delhi University for several years and was removed from the Assistant professor post at Ram Lal Anand College of Delhi University in February 2021 after he was named as the prime accused in the Maoists link case.

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