Chhattisgarh government on Wednesday opposed the petition of rights activist Binayak Sen in the Supreme Court seeking bail and stay on his life term for his alleged links with Maoists saying he was involved in providing safe hideouts and logistic support to hardcore Naxalites.
“He (Dr. Sen) provides active support and co-ordinates in spreading the base of CPI (Maoist) in the country. Apart from providing logistic support, he exchanges information and material directly and indirectly with the Naxalites in the area of Chhattisgarh, Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa and propagates Naxal ideology,” the affidavit filed by the State government said.
Chhattisgarh government filed its affidavit through advocate Atul Jha in response to the notice issued to it on March 11 by the court on the petition by Dr. Sen challenging the rejection of his bail by the High Court on February 10.
It alleged Dr. Sen, 61, was helping the Naxalites in building urban network and sympathizers and visited the co-accused Naryan Sanyal 33 times in jail.
Dr. Sen has sought bail contending the trial court has erred in convicting him as there was no substantial evidence against him.
Dr. 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.
Human rights and social activists have described Dr. Sen’s conviction and sentence as “politically motivated”.
The State government in its affidavit said though Dr. Sen is a doctor, during the search of his house, neither any medical equipment was found nor any medical books, medicines, stethoscope, drugs, patient admission book, prescription book, patient discharge book.
“Medical degree of Sen is a just a cover for him to perpetuate the Naxal activities. Under the garb of being a doctor and on the pretext of treatment, he is basically providing help to hardcore Naxalites and its cadre,” the affidavit said.
“It is submitted the petitioner is a paediatrician (child specialist). What treatment was the paediatrician petitioner advising to geriatrician co-accused Narayan Sanyal in his 33 visits to jail is open secret. It is submitted that the petitioner has not met any prisoner at the Central Jail, Durg.
“Similarly, the petitioner has not met with any other undertrial prisoner in Central Jail, Bilaspur, apart from the Naxalite leader,” the affidavit said, while giving the list of 33 visits made by Dr. Sen in Raipur Central Jail.
