Delhi University professor GN Saibaba, a wheelchair bound, and five others including JNU student Hem Mishra and former journalist Prashant Rahi were awarded the life sentence by the Gadchiroli Sessions Court under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

Saibaba was first arrested in 2013, and then in May 2014 from his Delhi residence for alleged links with Maoists. The police had reportedly found ‘incriminating evidence’, including documents, hard disks and pen drives.

Saibaba was granted bail on 3 July 2015. This was later rejected by a Nagpur bench on 25 August 2015. In April 2016, he was granted bail on medical grounds.

While the Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) was supporting Saibaba's reinstatement, a group of students led by members of ABVP had opposed it claiming that such a move will have a "bad influence" on students.