New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Saturday suspended the Bombay High Court order acquitting former Delhi University (DU) professor G N Saibaba and others in a Maoist-links case, saying the merits of the case was not considered while granting them relief.
The top court rejected Saibaba’s request to order his release from jail due to his disability and health conditions and put him under house arrest after the Maharashtra government opposed the prayer, saying nowadays, there is a new tendency of “urban Naxals” to seek house arrest.
It, however, allowed Saibaba to move a fresh bail application in the case.
The high court acquitted Saibaba and others in the case on Friday.
An apex court bench of justices M R Shah and Bela M Trivedi, which sat on a non-working day to hear the matter said, “We are of the opinion that this is a fit case to exercise powers under Section 390 CrPC and to suspend the impugned judgment and order passed by the high court.”
It said, “We are of the firm opinion that the impugned judgment and order passed by the high court is required to be suspended. For the reasons stated, the impugned judgment and order passed by the high court is ordered to be suspended till further orders.”
The bench issued notice to Saibaba and others and sought their replies by December 8 on a plea moved by the Maharashtra government against the high court order and stayed the release of all the accused in the case from jail.
