Verdict in Subash Ghisingh attack case deferred to Sept 9

Jalpaiguri (WB), Aug 30 (PTI) The verdict on the six accused in the attack on GNLF supremo Subhas Ghising in 2001 was deferred today by a fast track court here to September 9 because of a computer glitch.Additional Third Fast Track Court judge Sanchita Sarkar, before whom the six including prime accused, Chhatre Subba, were produced could not pronounce the judgement because of a mechanical problem in her computer, Public Prosecutor Milan Sarkar told reporters here.The verdict would be pronounced on September nine, he said.Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) leader Subhash Ghisingh who spearheaded a violent movement in the Darjeeling hills for Gorkhaland was attacked on February 10, 2001 at Pankhabari Road in Jalpaiguri district.Subba, the Gorkha Liberation Organisation chief, was arrested by a special investigating team from a place near the Indo-Nepal border in March, 2001.Of the twelve accused in the case, two were earlier released on bail and four others acquitted by the Calcutta High Court.

Faulty computer holds up verdict

JALPAIGURI: The verdict in a case of murder attempt on Gorkha National Liberation Front leader Subash Ghisingh, in which the prime accused is Chhatre Subba, could not be delivered on Tuesday because of a computer that refused to function.

It has been over a decade that Subba and his associates are being tried. Naturally, when the prison van carrying the accused entered the district court premises at 11.30 am, a crowd of hundreds assembled. A large number of supporters of Chhatre arrived from different places in Darjeeling to hear the verdict, ignoring the scorching heat.

But, when Subba and the other accused were finally produced in the 3rd fast track court of the additional district and sessions judge around 2.45 pm, it was found that the computer in the courtroom was not working. Left without any option, the judge, Sanchita Kar, postponed the delivery of the verdict. It will be pronounced on September 9.

"We have to abide by the decision the court has taken. There is nothing we can say on this issue," said defence lawyer Nripen Das.

But the event has made Chhatre supporters unhappy. "It took more than 10 years for the court to come to the delivery of the judgement. We were really hoping to hear something good, the reason we have travelled all along from Darjeeling. Let's hope that on September 9, the verdict will be pronounced," one of them said.

Chhatre was arrested from the Indo-Nepal border in March 2001 and a case was lodged against him in the Darjeeling sessions court. He was charged with trying to assassinate Ghisingh, then Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council chairman, at Saat Ghoomti near Kurseong on February 10, 2001. Police also arrested 13 others in the case who were also charged with attempt to murder, criminal conspiracy and possession of arms.

The trial, however, did not take place in Darjeeling as Chhatrey appealed before Calcutta high court to shift his case from Darjeeling to Jalpaiguri for a "fair and impartial trial". In November 2002, Calcutta HC granted his wish and in February 2003, the case was transferred to the Jalpaiguri sessions court.

Chhatrey verdict wait extended

Jalpaiguri, Aug. 30: The verdict in the Subash Ghisingh assassination attempt case has been deferred till September 9 because of “technical reasons”.

Prime accused Chhatrey Subba’s lawyer Nripen Das told journalists that “a defective computer” was the reason for the delayed judgement. “The computer and the printer are not working and the verdict could not have been recorded,” said Das.

Chhatrey has been accused of masterminding an attack on GNLF chief and then Darjeeling DGHC chairperson Ghisingh on February 10, 2001.

On March 26, 2002, Chhatrey and 11 others were arrested and produced before the district court in Darjeeling. But the case was transferred to Jalpaiguri in 2003 after Chhatrey pleaded that he feared for his life in the hills.

The hearing began in 2004. Since then Dimpal Dewan, Omraj Kotowal, Bamal Giri, Amar Lama were exempted from the case after the charge sheet was filed.

Two others — Northen Lama and Mohan Sharma —obtained bail from Calcutta High Court. But the remaining six, including Chhatrey, have been languishing in Jalpaiguri central jail.

When Subba, Saran Dewan, Gunge Lama, Shyam Bahadur Karki, Kumar Chhetri and Vijay Chhetri were brought to the court compound from the Jalpaiguri correctional home this morning, thousands had gathered there.

Around 2pm, the additional judge of fast track third court, Sanchita Sarkar, announced that the judgment was being deferred and would be delivered on September 9 because of “technical reasons.”

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha had asked the Mamata Banerjee government for Chhatrey’s unconditional release. A government-appointed committee that had drawn up a list of 78 political prisoners who would be released had recommended freedom for Chhatrey also. However, the final list of 50 prisoners did not contain Chhatrey’s name.

Monika Chhetri, Chhatrey’s wife sobbed as she said: “We had come with much expectation that the verdict would be given today. My husband has been languishing in jail for the past nine years.”

The secretary of the Democratic Revolutionary Youth Front, Arun Ghatani, said the judgment had been awaited for a long time. “It had been delayed during the Left Front regime. And now, it was held over for a flimsy reason,” Ghatani said.