NAGPUR: A special public prosecutor who represented Maharashtra Police in a case of alleged Maoist links against former Delhi University professor GN Saibaba on Friday claimed that he was removed from the case abruptly three months ago.
The police, however, denied the claim, stating that he himself had asked to be relieved.
Advocate P K Sathianathan had appeared as special prosecutor in the case before the Gadchiroli sessions court the during the trial, and later before the Nagpur bench of the high court when it heard the appeals filed by Saibaba and other convicts.
The HC on Friday set aside their convictions. When contacted for reaction, Sathianathan told PTI that he was asked not to appear in the case three months ago.
"I received a letter from Sandip Patil, Deputy Inspector General, Naxal range, Gadchiroli, instructing me to not appear in the case henceforth as a senior counsel has been appointed," Sathianathan said.
But DIG Patil denied this, claiming that Sathianathan was discontinued at his own request.
To which Sathinathan said he had never asked to be relieved but only sought that a senior counsel be appointed to argue before the HC. "But the police relieved me from the case," he said.
READ HERE | HC acquits ex-DU prof Saibaba in Maoist links case, calls his sanction under UAPA 'bad in law'