Ex-CJI Lalit Breaks Silence on Urgent Hearing in GN Saibaba's Case
He indicated that he was not aware of Justice DY Chandrachud's aversion to the urgent hearing.
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A month after the Supreme Court convened an urgent session to hear the plea against GN Saibaba's acquittal in a Maoist link case, former Chief Justice of India (CJI) UU Lalit spoke to NDTV on Sunday, 13 November and explained how the events of the day unfolded.
He indicated that he was not aware of Justice DY Chandrachud's aversion to the urgent hearing.
"I was not aware because the registry officials simply came to me and said that there is a bench to be formed," said Justice Lalit, reported NDTV.
In a special Saturday sitting on 15 October, the Supreme Court ordered stay on Professor GN Saibaba’s release from jail in an alleged ‘maoist links’ case, with legal experts calling the move “unprecedented".
The appeal against the acquittal was filed by the State of Maharashtra.
Justice Chandrachud, too, had made oral remarks against listening the case on an urgent basis, however, the then CJI Lalit dismissed any such comments.
He added, "No, he did not say that. In fact, I asked him will he be part of the bench on Saturday. He said he had certain commitments," Justice Lalit said.
On 14 October, the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court held the entire trial against former Delhi University professor GN Saibaba in an alleged Maoist links case to be "null and void".
The court had discharged him and ordered his immediate release.
(With inputs from NDTV.)
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