Former DU Prof GN Saibaba acquitted by Bombay High Court, here’s a timeline | Mint – Mint

The bench, comprising of Justice Rohit Deo and Anil Pansare, in their order first allowed the appeal filed by GN Saibaba challenging a 2017 order of the trial court convicting him and sentencing him to life imprisonment.

The wheelchair-bound expelled professor is currently lodged at the Nagpur central prison and will be released soon.

Along with him, the Nagpur bench acquitted co-accused Mahesh Tikri, Hem Mishra, Prashant Rahi, and Vijay Tikri. However, the sixth accused in the case, Pandu Narote died as a result of jail authorities negligence.

ALSO READ: Bombay HC acquits former DU professor GN Saibaba, 5 others in alleged Maoist links case

Here are the top developments and timeline:

2009: The wheelchair-bound expelled professor was a prominent voice in the campaign against Operation Green Hunt.

4 September, 2013: Warrant sought by police from Magistrate court to conduct a search at the house of G N Saibaba, pursuant to revelations made by accused Mishra and Sanglikar during interrogation.

7 September, 2013: Search warrant issued by Magistrate court.

9 September, 2013: Police conduct a search at Saibaba’s residence in Delhi.

15 February, 2014: Sanction to prosecute the five arrested accused under the provisions of the UAPA granted by the sanctioning authority.

16 February, 2014: Final report/charge-sheet submitted by police before Magistrate court.

26 February, 2014: Magistrate court commits the case to sessions court, as offences are sessions triable.

26 February, 2014: Police obtain an arrest warrant to arrest Saibaba, but fail to arrest “due to sympathisers”.

9 May 2014: Was arrested for Maoist links.

June 2015: Granted bail by Bombay High Court on medical grounds.

July 2015: Was released in July 2015.

14 December 2015: Was sent back to jail.

April 2016: Released again after Supreme Court granted him bail.

3 March 2017: Sentenced to life imprisonment under Sections 13, 18, 20, 38 and 39 of the UAPA and Section 120 B of the Indian Penal Code for connections with the banned Revolutionary Democratic Front (RDF). Saibaba denied the charge that organisation he ran was a front for CPI-Maoist.

29 March, 2017: Saibaba and others file appeal against conviction and the sentence in Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court.

29 March 2017: Maoist called for “Bharat Bandh” to protest against GN Saibaba’s life imprisonment with banners and pamphlets distributed by the CPI-Maoist at Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh region.

30 April 2020: Citing his “seriously deteriorating” health condition, a panel of experts with the United Nations OHCHR called on the Indian government urging the authorities to immediately release GN Saibaba.

28 July 2020: The Bombay High Court rejected Saibaba’s 45-day medical bail petition.

22 October 2020: Saibaba called off his hunger strike after his demands were accepted by the jail authorities.

April 2021: Was terminated from Ram Lal Anand College of Delhi University.

14 October 2022: Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court acquitted former Delhi University professor G N Saibaba in an alleged Maoist links case.

With PTI inputs.