Celebrated human rights activist Binayak Sen, who is serving life sentence on charges of sedition, was on Monday evening released from Raipur Central jail.
The 61-year-old paediatrician stepped out of the jail exactly at 7 pm amidst slogans in his support by hundreds of his admirers, who were waiting outside the prison since morning to receive him.
The gathering became restless and surged towards the main gate of the jail when they spotted Dr Sen accompanied by his mother, wife and daughter and a couple of his close associates. Mr Sen, who looked tired, was seen finding it difficult to wade through the huge crowd of social activists and members of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), drawn from the various parts of the country.
Mr Sen walked free after the trail court of additional district and sessions judge B.P. Sharma set five conditions for execution of the Friday’s Supreme Court order granting him bail.
The conditions required him to furnish a surety and a personal bond of `50,000, surrender his passport, not to leave the country without court’s permission and present in the country whenever asked, his counsel Mr Mahendra Duney told this newspaper.
The court issued release warrant in the evening after all the conditions were complied with.
Mr Sen asserted he is not a “traitor” and said the Supreme Court observation in his case will have “deep political implication”.
“The sedition charge levelled against me is misplaced. I am not a traitor,” Mr Sen said addressing the media here soon after his release from Raipur Central jail on bond.
“I have never entertained the thought of going against my own people or the country, leave alone indulging in any seditious activity. I have never betrayed my country. I have been faithful to people of my country,” he said.
Describing the sedition law, as “archaic and colonial era act”, he hailed Union law minister Veerapa Moily for stressing the need to revisit the law.
“I was cleared of sedition charge due to the campaign by my well wishers and walked free. But there are many people, who are languishing in the Raipur Central jail on similar charges,” he said.
“I am ready to offer my services to get peace in the state. But, the Salwa Judum has to be disbanded before initiation of any peace process,” he said.