SC grants bail to DU professor GN Saibaba, says Maharashtra government 'extremely unfair' to him

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday granted bail to Delhi University professor GN Saibaba, who has been arrested and is facing trial for alleged Maoist links, saying Maharashtra government has been “extremely unfair” to him.

A bench, comprising justices JS Khehar and C Nagappan, also pulled up the counsel for Maharashtra for opposing the bail plea of Saibaba.

“You have been extremely unfair to the accused, especially looking at his medical condition. If material witnesses have been examined, then there is no point in putting him in jail,” the bench said.

Counsel for Maharashtra government said some crucial prosecution witnesses need to be examined. The bench, however, refused to agree with the contention and granted bail to the wheelchairbound DU professor, who is lodged in the Nagpur jail. On February 29, the apex court bench comprising justices JS Khehar and C Nagappan had said it may consider granting bail to Saibaba after the trial court examined key witnesses, and had directed day-to-day hearing in the case. It had said of the total 34 witnesses cited by the prosecution, eight were yet to be examined. Earlier, the court had asked the Maharashtra government to look for an alternative arrangement to house the jailed professor.

“We want the state to make him comfortable,” the bench had said. Prior to this, the SC, on a plea of author Arundhati Roy, had refused to stay a criminal contempt notice issued by Bombay HC against her for an article in a magazine questioning the continued incarceration of Saibaba.