New Delhi: All eyes are on the Binayak Sen trial which is on Friday, as the Supreme Court is expected to pronounce its verdict on his bail plea. The trial has attracted international attention. Dr Binayak Sen, a gold medallist from CMC, Vellore and a human rights activist has been convicted for sedition and sentenced to life. While the state claims that Dr Sen is a Maoist conduit, his supporters say he has been penalised for criticising Chhattisgarh's anti-Maoist policies.
Dr Sen was arrested from Bilaspur on May 14, 2007. The Supreme Court granted him bail on May 25, 2009. But, on December 24, 2010, he was convicted for sedition and sentenced to rigorous life imprisonment by a Raipur court.
Sen was held guilty of sedition and conspiracy for sedition, association with unlawful activity under the CSPSA, association with or membership of terrorist organisation of the UAPA. He was, however, acquitted of the charge of waging war against the State.
The Chhattisgarh High Court dismissed his bail plea on February 10, 2011 following which on March 3, 2011, the Supreme Court had admitted a special leave petition, giving the Chhattisgarh government four weeks to submit a report.
An EU delegation has closely followed the developments in the Sen case and more than 40 Nobel Laureates are campaigning for his release. Many have even questioned the country's sedition laws.
Fali Nariman, a jurist, said, "sedition laws are very serious. When you charge somebody for sedition, the evidence has to be unimpeachable."
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh has maintained that the law will take its own course.
Eminent lawyer Ram Jethmalani has already lost the battle for Binayak's bail in the Chhattisgarh High Court once. It remains to be seen if he wins the battle this time around.