3 weeks ago
Ex-TISS Student Arrested After Court Rejects Bail in Saibaba Case
A former university student named Abhirup Paul was arrested by police in Mumbai.
This happened after a court said he could not get anticipatory bail, which is a protection that stops police from arresting someone.
The case is about a small memorial event at his old university, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences.
At the event, students placed photographs of a professor named G.N. Saibaba on a tree and read his poems.
Professor Saibaba taught English at Delhi University and died in October 2024.
Police say some students shouted slogans asking for two jailed activists to be released.
Police also said two students downloaded books written by people from a banned group.
The students' lawyer says the gathering was peaceful and only about nine students attended.
The judge said remembering Saibaba is not a crime by itself, but he still refused bail for two former students.
The arrested student will stay in police custody until August 10, and an MP named Kapil Sibal said the decision shows how intolerant the government is.
Mumbai Crime Branch arrested former TISS student Abhirup Paul (reported age 30 or 32) from Chembur after a sessions court rejected his anticipatory bail in the G.N. Saibaba memorial case; reports differ on whether the arrest happened Thursday or Friday.
Additional Sessions Judge V.B. Bohra denied bail to Paul and Kamakhya Prasad Das (23) while granting anticipatory bail to seven other accused; Paul was remanded in police custody till August 10 after police sought 10 days.
The case stems from an October 12, 2025 memorial gathering at TISS's Deonar campus, where 10-12 students (the defence says nine) placed Saibaba's photographs on a tree, lit candles and read his poems without institute permission.
The prosecution alleged the students raised slogans demanding the release of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam and that Paul and Das downloaded books reflecting Maoist ideology; the students denied the charges.
The court said paying homage to Saibaba was not illegal, but Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal said the bail denial showed the government's intolerance and the state of the judiciary.
- Who
- Abhirup Paul (reported age 30 or 32), a former Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) student, arrested by the Mumbai Crime Branch Unit 6; co-accused Kamakhya Prasad Das (23) was denied bail but has not been arrested.
- What
- Paul was arrested after a sessions court rejected his anticipatory bail in a case over a memorial gathering for late Delhi University professor G.N. Saibaba; Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal criticised the denial of bail.
- Where
- Mumbai; Paul was arrested from Chembur and the gathering took place at TISS's Deonar campus.
- When
- Arrested around August 8, 2026 (reports differ on Thursday vs Friday) and remanded in police custody till August 10; the gathering was held on October 12, 2025.
- Why
- The prosecution alleged participants raised slogans demanding the release of jailed activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, and that Paul and Das downloaded books reflecting Maoist ideology; the court said custodial interrogation was needed to ascertain their intention.
Defence Position
Prosecution Position
The memorial gathering
Defence Position
About nine students held a peaceful tribute, placing photographs on a tree, lighting candles and reading poems to honour a professor acquitted by the Bombay High Court; the court itself said paying homage is not illegal and several acts individually were not offences.
Prosecution Position
Around 10-12 students gathered without institute permission, and the act went beyond homage: they allegedly raised slogans demanding the release of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, who face UAPA trials, and used the phrase 'Rest in Power'.
Downloaded books and material
Defence Position
The books were not banned publications and are freely available for purchase; they do not establish Maoist affiliation, and reading literature from different ideological perspectives is academic engagement.
Prosecution Position
Paul and Das possessed downloaded books and other material that reflected 'Maoist ideology' and were purportedly authored by members of the banned CPI (Maoist); the books reportedly instigated division of India, and Paul allegedly tried to turn other students toward the ideology.
Permission and criticism of the justice system
Defence Position
Permission was not sought because the gathering was spontaneous; referencing prolonged incarceration and the right to a speedy trial, issues publicly raised by retired Supreme Court judges, is not a criminal act.
Prosecution Position
As students, the accused were expected to respect the law of the land, and their statements amounted to questioning or blaming the criminal justice process; the court also cited deleted data and an alleged threat to a police officer by Das.
Key facts
- Accused
- Abhirup Paul, former TISS student and Progressive Students Forum member (age reported as 30 or 32)
- Co-accused denied bail
- Kamakhya Prasad Das (23), not yet arrested
- Arresting unit
- Mumbai Crime Branch Unit 6, from Chembur (arrest day reported as Thursday or Friday)
- Court
- Additional Sessions Judge V.B. Bohra; Paul remanded in police custody by a magistrate's court till August 10 (police sought 10 days)
- Bail granted to
- Seven other accused, including Uttkarsh Khuntia, Yash Kaundilya, Avantika, Ishpreet Kaur, Nikita Monica D'Souza, Hardika Bhagat and Satyam Yadav
- Event
- Memorial gathering at TISS Deonar campus on October 12, 2025; FIR filed by Trombay police on a complaint by the TISS associate dean and later transferred to the Mumbai Police Crime Branch (one report says CID)
- Alleged material
- Downloaded books and other material reportedly authored by members of the banned CPI (Maoist), not banned by the government
- G.N. Saibaba
- Former Delhi University English professor who died October 12, 2024; acquitted by the Bombay High Court (Nagpur Bench) in March 2024
Quotes
Kapil Sibal
Rajya Sabha MP and opposition leader
“No doubt G N Saibaba came to be acquitted of charges levied against him and, therefore, act of paying homage to him by accused persons cannot be termed as illegal. However, the act of accused persons appeared to be not limited to paying him homage. They even allegedly raised slogans in the nature of releasing Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam from jail, who are facing trial for an offence under UAPA i.e. unlawful activities against the Nation.”
indianexpress.com
“In other words, such slogans were not made in a public agitation or procession. The Hon’ble Apex Court had been pleased to reject bail applications of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. Being students, it was expected from accused persons to respect the Law of Land.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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