Former Delhi University professor G N Saibaba's wife A S Vasantha Kumari on Friday thanked his supporters and the judiciary following his acquittal in a Maoist links case.
The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court acquitted Mr Saibaba on Friday and ordered his immediate release from jail.
A division bench of justices Rohit Deo and Anil Pansare also allowed an appeal filed by Saibaba challenging a 2017 trial court order convicting him and sentencing him to life imprisonment.
Mr Saibaba, who is wheelchair-bound, is currently lodged at the Nagpur central prison.
"We had faith that he would be acquitted because he did not do anything wrong. There was no crime and no evidence. I am thankful to the judiciary and all those who supported us," Vasantha Kumari told PTI over phone.
The couple's daughter is currently pursuing MPhil from Jamia Millia Islamia.
Asked how they coped with his absence in the last eight years, Vasantha Kumari said, "Don't ask! There was a lot of struggle and patience involved in the last eight years. It was difficult for Sai also since his health deteriorated and he lost his job."
In March 2017, a sessions court in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district convicted Mr Saibaba and other people, including a journalist and a Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student, for alleged Maoist links and for indulging in activities amounting to waging war against the country.
The court had held Mr Saibaba and the others guilty under various provisions of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
GN Saibaba Should Be Seen As Hero: Activist Harsh Mander Body Of Ex Professor GN Saibaba To Be Donated To Hospital Like He Wanted: Family Didn't Get Much Time To Discuss Future Plans: Ex-Professor GN Saibaba's Wife 10-Crore Lawsuit Over 3-Second Clip? What's Behind Nayanthara-Dhanush Spat After Biren Singh's House Attacked, Meitei Group Issues 24-Hour Ultimatum Major Op To Dismantle "Lord Of Drugs" Haji Salim's Narcotics Empire AILET 2025 Registration Process Ends Tomorrow, Check Details Brazil First Lady Uses F-Word For Elon Musk In Viral Video. He Responds Sean 'Diddy' Combs Trying To Influence Witnesses From Jail: Prosecutors Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.