PUCL seeks NHRC intervention for release of professor

People’s Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL) on Thursday has sought National Human Rights Commission’s intervention for the release of the Delhi University Professor GN Saibaba, who was arrested by the Maharashtra police last week for his alleged links with the Maoists.

The PUCL has also demanded a comprehensive enquiry into the matter by the NHRC.

“In view of the severe 90 per cent locomotor disability and cardiac problem suffered by Saibaba, the NHRC should immediately intervene to get Saibaba released from the prison so that he can get expert medical attention, utilise the services of a personal attendant and also be able to access toilet facilities adapted to his personal needs,” said the human rights organisation in a statement. “Such a demand is not unreasonable as the Supreme Court itself has stressed the importance of safeguarding the rights and dignity of the arrestee, it argued.

“During the present arrest, the Gadchiroli police violated all mandatory provisions relating to arrest,” alleged the human rights organisation.

“The harsh and violent manner of effecting the abduction and arrest of Prof Saibaba is unacceptable and condemnable in a democracy which claims to follow rule of law. Saibaba had always cooperated with the police authorities whenever they wanted to question him as part of their investigation,” said the PUCL.

The PUCL has argued that Saibaba has been a human rights activist  and this is the reason why he has been arrested.

“For the police, he represented a major threat to their lawlessness and therefore, they have been trying to somehow implicate him in some case or the other” it said.

The PUCL has alleged that Saibaba is the latest victim of the Maharashtra police’s attempts to silence and intimidate anyone from daring to take up the human rights issues of Maoists while continually challenging state terrorism.