The Gadchiroli Sessions Court has given life imprisonment to Delhi University Professor Gokarakonda Naga Saibaba along with other four convicts for abetment of Naxalite activities today. The other convicts in the case include Jawaharlal Nehru University student Hem Mishra, Journalist Prashant Rahi along with Mahesh Tirkey and Pandu Narote. Another convict Vijay Tirkey was sentenced for rigorous imprisonment of ten years in the same case. Principal District and Sessions Judge Mr. Suryakant Shinde pronounced the quantum of the sentence after declaring them guilty earlier in the day.<br/><br/> The wheelchair-bound Delhi-based English professor was arrested by the Gadchiroli police in May 2014 from his official quarter in the university premises following a warrant from Aheri court. He was subsequently slapped with relevant sections under the stringent Unlawful Activities prevention Act. The Supreme Court, on April 4 last year, granted bail to the alleged Naxal sympathizer. He was subsequently given exemption from personal appearance in the court.<br/><br/>The apex court directed Gadchiroli Sessions Court to conduct day-to-day to trial of Saibaba. After his arrest in 2014 by the Gadchiroli Police from Delhi, he was in jail till July 3, 2015, as his bail application was rejected by Mr. Justice Sunil Shukre at Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court on August 25, 2015. He was granted temporary bail by Principal Bench in Mumbai led by then Chief Justice, till December 30, 2015, primarily on health grounds, till it was cancelled by Mr. Justice Arun Chaudhari citing strong evidence against him.

The Gadchiroli Sessions Court has given life imprisonment to Delhi University Professor Gokarakonda Naga Saibaba along with other four convicts for abetment of Naxalite activities today. The other convicts in the case include Jawaharlal Nehru University student Hem Mishra, Journalist Prashant Rahi along with Mahesh Tirkey and Pandu Narote. Another convict Vijay Tirkey was sentenced for rigorous imprisonment of ten years in the same case. Principal District and Sessions Judge Mr. Suryakant Shinde pronounced the quantum of the sentence after declaring them guilty earlier in the day.<br/><br/> The wheelchair-bound Delhi-based English professor was arrested by the Gadchiroli police in May 2014 from his official quarter in the university premises following a warrant from Aheri court. He was subsequently slapped with relevant sections under the stringent Unlawful Activities prevention Act. The Supreme Court, on April 4 last year, granted bail to the alleged Naxal sympathizer. He was subsequently given exemption from personal appearance in the court.<br/><br/>The apex court directed Gadchiroli Sessions Court to conduct day-to-day to trial of Saibaba. After his arrest in 2014 by the Gadchiroli Police from Delhi, he was in jail till July 3, 2015, as his bail application was rejected by Mr. Justice Sunil Shukre at Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court on August 25, 2015. He was granted temporary bail by Principal Bench in Mumbai led by then Chief Justice, till December 30, 2015, primarily on health grounds, till it was cancelled by Mr. Justice Arun Chaudhari citing strong evidence against him.