SC seeks Chhattisgarh reply to Sen's bail petition

The apex court has given four weeks for the government to file its reply. A Bench of Justices H S Bedi and C K Prasad issued notice to the state government despite Sen’s counsel seeking adjournment of the matter till Monday.

Sen (61) had moved the apex court challenging the order of the Chhattisgarh High Court which had rejected his bail plea on February 10. A professional doctor and alumni of Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, Sen has sought bail contending that the trial court had erred in convicting him as there was no substantial evidence of his alleged links with Maoists against him.

Sen, Vice-President of People’s Union of Civil Liberties, was convicted for sedition and sentenced to life imprisonment along with Naxal ideologue Narayan Sanyal and Kolkata businessman Piyush Guha for colluding with Naxals to establish a network to fight the state.