New Delhi:
The Supreme Court has deferred for a week the hearing on the bail petition filed by civil rights activist Binayak Sen who has been in jail for nearly two years on charges of aiding and abetting Naxalite activities in Chhattisgarh.
When the petition of Sen, who is the vice-president of the People's Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL), came up for hearing before a Bench comprising Justices D K Jain and R M Lodha, his counsel sought adjournment saying he wants to file additional documents.
Advocate Sandeep Kapur wanted the Bench to fix a date for the hearing, which was refused.
Further, senior advocate Ram Jethmalani, who has been engaged by PUCL to argue Sen's case, did not come to the court due to health reason.
Sen, who has been in the custody since May 14, 2007, has contended that there was no evidence against him to be booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
The Chhattisgarh government has charged the PUCL leader with acting as a courier for an alleged Naxalite who is in jail.
He has also sought bail on medical ground saying he has been suffering from heart ailment and needs treatment at Christian Medical College, Vellore, in Tamil Nadu.
Sen, a doctor by profession, has sought bail on the ground that the chargesheet against him has been filed and has remained in jail during the investigation of the case registered against him.