HC rejects bail plea of Binayak Sen

Bilaspur, Feb 10 (PTI) The Chhattisgarh High Court todayrejected the bail application of rights activist Binayak Sen,who has been sentenced to life imprisonment by a sessionscourt on charges of sedition and links with Naxalites.

While turning down 61-year-old Sen''s plea for bail, adivision bench of justices T P Sharma and R L Jhanwar alsodismissed the bail petition of Kolkata businessman PiyushGuha, who has also been awarded life term in the case.

The High Court had reserved its order on the bail pleasof Sen and Guha yesterday. Sen has also challenged hisconviction in the case.

Elina Sen, wife of the rights activist, said an appealwill be filed in the Supreme Court challenging the HighCourt''s decision.

"I will be soon discussing the issue of filing theappeal with our lawyers," she said, claiming that theprosecution did not have concrete evidence against Sen.

Sen, vice-president of People''s Union of CivilLiberties, was convicted for sedition and sentenced to lifeimprisonment along with Naxal ideologue Narayan Sanyal andGuha for colluding with Naxals to establish a network to fightthe state.

Additional District and Sessions Judge B P Verma hadheld the trio guilty under provisions of section 124 A(sedition) and 120 B (conspiracy) of IPC and ChhattisgarhSpecial Public Security Act on December 24. (More) PTI CorrSNG