Maha govt moves SC against acquittal of former DU professor Saibaba in Maoist link case, hearing tomorrow

New Delhi: Hours after the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court acquitted former Delhi University professor GN Saibaba in an alleged Maoist links case, the Maharashtra government on Friday approached the Supreme Court challenging the decision.
As per the cause list issued by the Supreme Court, a bench of Justices MR Shah and Bela M Trivedi will hear the case tomorrow. Earlier in the day, the appeal was mentioned before a bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Hima Kohli by the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta seeking urgent listing of the case.
The bench granted permission to the Solicitor General, appearing for the Maharashtra government, to move an application before the Supreme Court Registry for an early listing of plea.
The apex court, however, declined Solicitor General’s request to stay the acquittal order of Saibaba and others.
Earlier in the day, the High Court allowed an appeal filed by Saibaba and five others challenging a 2017 decision of the trial court convicting and sentencing him to life imprisonment under the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
They were arrested in 2014.
The High Court has ordered the immediate release of Saibaba and the other accused.
They were sentenced to life imprisonment by the Sessions Court at Gadchiroli, Maharashtra in March 2017 for offences under various sections of UAPA and 120 B of the Indian Penal Code for alleged association with the Revolutionary Democratic Front (RDF), which was alleged to be an affiliate of outlawed Maoist organisation. (ANI)