Supreme Court notice to Chhattisgarh govt. on bail plea of activist

New Delhi, May 4 (ANI): Acting on a bail petition filed by civil rights activist Binayak Sen, in jail for the last 22 months on charges of aiding and abetting naxalite activities in the state, the Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to Chhattisgarh government.

A Bench headed by Justice D. K. Jain also directed the state government to provide medical aid to Sen, who has been suffering from heart ailments.

Sen, who has been in custody since May 14, 2007, has contended that there was no evidence against him to be booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

Sen has also sought bail on medical ground, saying that he had been suffering from a heart ailment and needs treatment at Christian Medical College, Vellore in Tamil Nadu.

Sen, a doctor by profession, has sought bail on the ground that the chargesheet against him has already been filed and he has remained in jail during the investigation of the case registered against him.

The Chhattisgarh Government has accused Sen, who is the vice-president of the People's Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL), of acting as a courier for an alleged naxalite who is in jail. (ANI)