A Mumbai court has granted bail to Abhirup Ashim Paul @ Rony, a student of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), in a case arising from allegations linked to a commemoration event for G. N. Saibaba and slogans allegedly raised at the institute.
The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, 37th Court, Esplanade, Mumbai, held that, at the stage of bail, there was prima facie no sufficient incriminating material connecting Paul with Maoist ideology or activities against the unity of the nation.
The case relates to an incident dated October 12, 2025, when students at TISS allegedly gathered to commemorate the death anniversary of G. N. Saibaba. According to the FIR, slogans including “Rest in power G. N. Saibaba” were raised, while demands were allegedly made for the release of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam.
Paul was named as accused No. 3 among nine persons booked in connection with the incident. The case invokes several provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, along with provisions of the Maharashtra Police Act.
Paul had earlier secured interim protection from the Sessions Court for several months. His anticipatory bail application was eventually rejected on August 7, 2026, following which he was taken into custody. The record shows that his mobile phone and laptop had been seized and that he had been interrogated for around 21 hours.
The prosecution opposed bail, alleging that the investigation was examining mobile phones, social media posts, WhatsApp chats, CCTV footage and literature allegedly connected with banned organisations.
It also alleged that some messages and applications had been deleted and that material relating to Maoist ideology had been found on Paul's phone. The prosecution expressed concern that his release could affect witnesses or the ongoing investigation.
The Magistrate noted that the investigation had continued for a substantial period but found no prima facie material, beyond suspicion, linking Paul with Maoist activities.
“Prima facie there is no incriminating material on record,” the court observed.
The court also noted that merely being a member of the Progressive Students Forum, participating in the commemoration and possessing PDF books could not, at the bail stage, establish a connection with Maoist ideology.
The court held that further custody was not required after the interrogation already conducted and granted Paul bail.
He was directed to execute a personal bond of ₹1 lakh with one or two sureties of the same amount, with provisional cash security of ₹1 lakh for two weeks. He must also report to DCB CID Unit-06 every Wednesday between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. until the charge-sheet is filed.
The court further restrained him from threatening or influencing witnesses, tampering with evidence, or leaving India without prior permission.
The court clarified that its observations were limited to deciding the bail application and would not affect the final determination of the case on merits.
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