SC grants bail to Binayak Sen

Prabhakar Mishra

New Delhi

The Supreme Court grants bail to social activist Binayak Sen here on Friday. While granting the bail to Sen, court observed that supporting the cause of naxals can not be compared with sedation. The court rejects sedation charge against him.

It may be recalled that Binayak Sen, who has been sentenced to life imprisonment for sedition and links with Naxalites. Sen, 61, has challenged the order of Chhattisgarh high court, which had rejected his bailplea on February 10.

He says the trial court erred in convicting him when there was no substantial evidence against him. Opposing Sen`s bail plea, the Chhatisgarh government filed an affidavit saying Sen has deep links with hardcore Naxalites.

"He (Sen) provides active support and co-ordinates in spreading the base of CPI-Maoist in the country. Apart from providing logistic support, he exchanges information and material with Naxalites," the affidavit said.

Meanwhile, Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid welcomed the Supreme Court`s decision to grant bail to Binayak Sen, who has been convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by a Chhattisgarh court for sedition and helping Naxalites.

  

"I think the circumstances in which the bail has been granted should be welcomed," Khurshid told reporters here. He said a general impression was gaining ground that the treatment meted out to Sen was not correct.

"The kind of support Binayak Sen has got across the country and the number of scholars standing behind him... a general impression was gaining ground that the treatment meted out to Sen was not correct," he said.

"Although, there is another aspect that a large number of people believe that there should be no compromise on the issue of security when it is concerned with a serious issue like Maoist, but right now his getting bail should be welcomed,” he said.

Coutesy: News24