This Article is From Dec 28, 2015

Professor Saibaba's Bail Cancelled, Violation of Civil Liberties, Says Justice Katju

The wheelchair-bound English professor was arrested in May last year for his alleged link with Maoists.

Mumbai: Former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju took to his blog to express concern for suspended Delhi University professor GN Saibaba, who surrendered to Nagpur Police after the Bombay High Court cancelled his bail.

The wheelchair-bound English professor was arrested in May last year for his alleged link with Maoists. While Mr Saibaba had earlier been granted bail till December 31, the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court cancelled his bail and ordered him to surrender within 48 hours on Friday.

"Every moment of Prof. Saibaba's detention on trumped up charges is a flagrant violation of our civil liberties guaranteed by the Fundamental Rights in Part 3 of our Constitution," Justice Katju said in his blog

The former DU professor had already spent 14 months in the infamous 'Anda cell' in Nagpur prison after which he was granted bail on the grounds of ill health.

The cancellation of the bail has prompted the academician's wife to plan her next course of action. "I will challenge the order in the Supreme Court. We will fight against the humiliation that he had been subjected to," Mr Saibaba's wife Vasantha Kumari said.

Mrs Kumari also pointed out that wheelchair-bound professor's health has deteriorated during the 14 months that he spent in prison and the lack of treatment would only affect his health further.

"He was disabled in both his legs before jail but since he had been imprisoned, his left hand has also stopped moving. There is no facility in the Nagpur jail' Mrs Kumari added.

The cancellation of the bail and Mr Saibaba returning to the jail has sparked flurry of reactions.
Activists who have been expressing their concern for Mr Saibaba are now raising questions over the Bombay High court's decision to charge author Arundhati Roy with criminal contempt after she expressed her views on Mr Saibaba's arrest and the rejection of his bail plea in an article.

"The statement made by Arundhati Roy prima facie does merit contempt of court. There is a very thin line between freedom of expression and making a contemptuous statement against the court. No doubt, every citizen has the right to criticize the court's order but such statements should not lower the court's image," Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said.

The professor's family will hold a protest on January 2.

 
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