INDIA: Press release on the Formation of the Committee for the Defence and Release of G. N. Saibaba

Press Release

Dr. G N Saibaba, who was abducted from Delhi by the Maharashtra police on 9 May 2014 and charged under the UA(P)A, remains languishing in Nagpur Central Jail to this date, without any substantial reason for being detained. Saibaba had applied for bail on robust legal and humanitarian grounds. The latter grounds included the argument that the jail acknowledgedly did not have the medical facilities to house a 90% disabled person like himself, and that he was suffering severely from medical neglect. In spite of this, the Sessions Court rejected his bail application on the absurd grounds that the jail authorities did not provide any record of denial of medical facilities.
Since his arrest, Saibaba has not been produced before the magistrate to ascertain his medical condition. He remains without adequate medical assistance, and his condition is deteriorating fast. He has collapsed twice in jail and as yet no medical facilities have been provided. In the light of these circumstances, a 17-person Committee for the Defence and Release of G N Saibaba has been constituted to expedite his release on bail, and to ensure that he is treated and tried in accordance with all legal and constitutional provisions. The following members constitute the Committee.
1. Prof A K Ramakrishnan (Centre for West Asian Studies, JNU)
2. Prof Amit Bhaduri (Professor Emeritus, JNU)
3. Prof Anand Teltumbde (Writer and Activist)
4. Arundhati Roy (Writer and Activist)
5. Ashok Bhowmick (Artist and Activist)
6. Prof. G Hargopal (Centre for Human Rights, University of Hyderabad, [retd.]) (Chairperson)
7. Prof Jagmohan Singh (Retd.) (Association for Democratic Rights)
8. Karen Gabriel (St Stephens College, DU) (General Secretary)
9. N Raghuram (IP University; ex-President, IPUTA)
10. Nandita Narain (St Stephens College, DU; President, DUTA)
11. P K Vijayan (Hindu College, DU)
12. Sanjay Kak (Independent filmmaker and activist)
13. Seema Azad (journalist, Editor, Dastak, PUCL activist)
14. Sri Krishnadeva Rao (Registrar, National Law University, Delhi)
15. Sudhir Dhawale (Journalist, Editor Vidrohi, Activist)
16. Sumit Chakravartty (Editor, Mainstream)

 

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