G N Saibaba, a former professor of English at Delhi University, passed away on Saturday due to post-operative complications following surgery for gallbladder stones. He was 57 and had been undergoing treatment at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences in Hyderabad.
Saibaba was a controversial figure, having been arrested on May 9, 2014, in connection with an alleged case of links to Maoist activities. On March 5 of this year, he was acquitted by the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court. The court set aside his life imprisonment sentence, ruling that the prosecution had failed to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt. Along with Saibaba, five others accused in the case were also acquitted.
Saibaba had spent several years in Nagpur Central Jail before being released on March 7 following the court’s decision. He had previously been convicted in 2017 by a Maharashtra sessions court along with five others, including JNU student Hem Mishra and journalist Prashant Rahi, for their alleged involvement with Maoist groups and activities that were considered to be waging war against the state.
Despite his legal troubles, Saibaba remained a well-known academic and activist. His passing marks the end of a chapter in a long and complex legal battle that drew significant attention from human rights organizations and activists both in India and internationally.
