Raipur:
A court in Chhattisgarh has rejected the bail application of Dr Binayak Sen. He was sentenced to life in prison in December after he was convicted of sedition on the basis of his alleged links to Naxals in the area.
Dr Binayak Sen's wife, Ilena expressed her disappointment at today's court order. She told NDTV, ""I will try and file a Special Lead Petition in the Supreme Court. I hope that it will be accepted. I hope that there will be justice. I continue to hope. But if it isn't we will join the ranks of the millions in the country who live in injustice, live and die in injustice.''
(Watch)
The verdict outraged civil liberties activists at home and abroad.
His brother Dipankar Sen also spoke with NDTV. He said, "It is a very trying moment for all of us. His daughters and Ilena have been going through hell. I don't have the guts to tell my mother this news. She is ill. And I hate to think the way she will react to this."
(Watch: We will just have to fight on, says Binayak Sen's brother)Dr Sen has been recognized with international awards for his work with tribals in the Chhattisgarh area. He has been praised for his commitment to promoting public health and human rights in one of India's most impoverished areas.
Yesterday, 40 Nobel laureates sent a letter to the Indian government urging it to ensure that Dr Sen is given a fair trial, and asking for him to be released on bail.
"Dr. Sen is an exceptional, courageous, and selfless colleague, dedicated to helping those in India who are least able to help themselves," the laureates said in the statement, posted on a website campaigning for Sen's release.