Jail Authorities Refuse To Provide GN Saibaba With Towel, Books, Notepad: Lawyer

Former Delhi University professor G N Saibaba, who is serving life term in Nagpur Central Prison, was allegedly denied access to items provided by his lawyer including books, blank paper sheets, a towel and a wrist weight cuff for physiotherapy.

A senior prison official, however, said that although they have issued all the necessary things that Saibaba requires, they cannot allow everything inside his cell.

Saibaba is wheelchair-bound with 90 per cent physical disabilities. In 2017, a Maharashtra court convicted him and four others for having links with Maoists and indulging in activities amounting to waging war against the country.

Since his conviction, Saibaba has been lodged in Nagpur jail.

Talking to PTI on Sunday, Saibaba's lawyer Aakash Sarode said that of the 34 different things that Saibaba wanted, the prison authorities accepted only 13 items when he went there three days back to hand them over.

"A month back, Professor Saibaba had consulted with the jail authorities and issued a list of the essential things that he requires to be brought from outside. Subsequently, he submitted an application to the jail authorities so that his family could send these articles," Sarode said.
"Accordingly, his family sent these things to me. On December 24, I went to the jail with the list of items. I tried to hand over these things to the authorities. However, the jail staff refused to accept several things, which neither pose any security threat nor pose any danger of Covid-19 spread," he said.

Some of the things that the authorities refused to hand over to him were three books, a pack of 200 pages of blank white papers, a note pad, a current affairs magazine, a wrist weight cuff of 1 kg that he needs as part of his physiotherapy, the lawyer said.

“Similarly, a shampoo bottle, a woollen cap, a napkin, a handkerchief, a towel and a white T-shirt were not accepted by the jail authorities. In all, there were 34 items, but only 13 were accepted," Sarode added.

He said he has e-mailed a letter to the Superintendent of the jail regarding the issue. "I am yet to receive a reply form him," Sarode said.

When contacted, Superintendent of Nagpur prison Anup Kumre said that all the necessary things required by Saibaba or any other inmate were allowed and given to them as per the jail manual.

"We accept all the necessary things as well as things required as he (Saibaba) has health issues," he said.

"We always accept the things which are necessary and are essential for him. However, we cannot allow everything inside," Kumre added.