5 student activists detained during 'peaceful protest' to demand GN Saibaba's release: AISA

NEW DELHI: The All India Students' Association (AISA) on Saturday claimed police detained five student activists during a 'peaceful' demonstration at the varsity's Arts faculty demanding the release of former Delhi University professor GN Saibaba.

The students' group said the activists were taken to Burari police station. However, no immediate response was available from Delhi Police.

The protest was organised hours after the Supreme Court on Saturday suspended a Bombay High Court order acquitting Saibaba and others in a Maoist-links case. "Delhi Police brutally detained students from Arts faculty. The police disrupted a peaceful protest for GN Saibaba," an activist said.

The Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court had on Friday acquitted Saibaba and ordered his release from jail, noting that the sanction order issued to prosecute the accused in the case under the stringent provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act was "bad in law and invalid".

The high court had also allowed the appeals filed by five other convicts, acquitting them of all charges. The prosecution had moved the apex court against the acquittal. Saibaba, 52, is lodged at Nagpur Central Jail.