Mumbai court grants bail to TISS student in Maoist suspicion case

A Mumbai magistrate court has granted bail to Abhirup Ashim Paul, a student of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), who was arrested in connection with a 2025 campus event. The gathering was held to commemorate the death anniversary of former professor G N Saibaba.

Prosecution officials alleged that during the event, students raised slogans demanding the release of jailed activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. Authorities also claimed that the discovery of PDF books regarding Maoism suggested links to banned organizations.

However, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Dattatray Shankarrao Khedekar ruled that there was no prima facie evidence linking Paul to a Maoist mindset or anti-national activities. The court noted that possessing soft copies of books on Maoism does not constitute evidence of involvement with banned groups. The judge emphasized that keeping a young offender in custody based on mere suspicion would be unjust and detrimental to his career. Paul was ordered to be released on a personal bond of ₹1 lakh, subject to conditions including weekly attendance before the Mumbai crime branch.