On 7th March, G N Saibaba, a professor of English in the Delhi University, was sentenced to life imprisonment by Gadchiroli sessions court, for waging war against India, for his alleged Maoist links and involvement in anti-national activities.
G N Saibaba had been accused of being a member of the banned CPI-Maoists and was also alleged to have provided them logistic support while also brainwashing JNU students to work for the outfit.
A few of his accomplices too were handed out sentences. JNU student Hem Mishra and former journalist Prashant Rahi were given a lifer and one Vijay Tirki was sentenced to 10 yrs in jail.
Now according to reports, top lawyer Ram Jethmalani and senior counsel Nitya Ramakrishnan would be defending Vijay Tirki and Prashant Rahi as they appeal their conviction in the Nagpur High Court. All the accused including Prof Saibaba had challenged their conviction and the next date of hearing has been pegged at 18th August.
Oen of the convicts Vijay Tirki had reportedly colluded with dreaded Naxal named Ramdar and on the latter’s order had taken Prashant Rahi to Abujmad forests for meeting with the Naxals. Saibaba had also handed over a microchip containing vital Maoist communications to the duo.
The public prosecutor in the Gadchilori court had also opposed the bail of Vijay Tirki by arguing that if provided, he might still carry out Naxal activities which might lead to deaths and loss of property. Apart from this it was also feared that he might even do a disappearing act.
This isn’t the only time Ram Jethmalani had been in the news for his clients. He has been representing Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in the high profile, Rs 10 crore defamation case slapped by BJP leader Arun Jaitley. This case has had its moments, like the one where it was revealed that Kejriwal was trying to make the Delhi taxpayers pay the Rs 3.6 crore legal bills of Ram Jethmalani.
Also while fighting the defamation case, Jethmalani had proceeded to call Jaitey a ‘crook’, which led to latter slapping another Rs 10 crore defamation case against Kejriwal.
