Mumbai: A Mumbai court has granted bail to a former Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) student who was arrested for allegedly raising slogans in support of jailed activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam at an event commemorating the death anniversary of former Delhi University professor and human rights defender G.N. Saibaba.
Abhirup Paul was arrested on August 7, hours after a sessions court rejected anticipatory bail pleas filed by him and a batchmate. The two were also accused of possessing downloaded books and other material that the prosecution claimed reflected Maoist ideology. Seven other TISS students booked in connection with an October 2025 event commemorating Saibaba’s anniversary were granted anticipatory bail at the time.
Saibaba, who had a disability of more than 90% and used a wheelchair, spent over seven years in prison over alleged Maoist links before the Bombay High Court acquitted him in March 2024. He died in Hyderabad in October 2024, seven months after his acquittal, due to post-operative complications.