NEW DELHI: The Congress on Friday said the acquittal of former Delhi University professor G N Saibaba in an alleged Maoist links case proves that the "'urban naxal' tag invented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's brigade is completely bogus".
The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court on Friday acquitted Saibaba in an alleged Maoist links case and ordered his immediate release from jail.
A division bench of Justice Rohit Deo and Anil Pansare allowed the appeal filed by Saibaba challenging a 2017 order of the trial court convicting him and sentencing him to life imprisonment.
Saibaba, who is wheelchair-bound due to a physical disability, is currently lodged at the Nagpur central prison.
"Wheelchair-bound Prof G N Saibaba's acquittal after five years in jail proves that 'urban naxal' tag invented by the prime minister's brigade is completely bogus," Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a tweet.
"Many others are still in wholly unjustifiable custody. Such smear tactics must be resisted. I wouldn't be surprised if the prime minister calls me one too!" he said.