Bimal Gurung and top Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leaders can heave a sigh of relief for now as the city sessions court here has directed the CBI not to proceed against any of the accused in the Madan Tamang murder case.
The acting chief judge of city sessions court, Gopal Karmakar, today directed the CBI's investigating officer probing into the 2010 murder in Darjeeling to appear before the court on June 6.
The Morcha's top brass, including party chief Bimal Gurung, his wife Asha, and senior leaders Roshan Giri, Binay Tamang, Harka Bahadur Chhetri, have been named in the chargesheet and accused of murder.
The CBI's final chargesheet named 23 leaders and activists of the Morcha.
"The court today took cognisance of the charges that were slapped on the accused in the final chargesheet. But no order of either issuing summons or warrant of arrest against those named in the final chargesheet was issued," said a senior advocate representing the Morcha top brass. "Senior leaders would meet again to discuss what would be the next course of action. But at least we have a breather till June 6."
The court wants the CBI instigation officer to clarify how the agency wants to proceed with respect to all the accused.
Madan Tamang, the chief of the Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League (ABGL), was hacked to death in the heart of Darjeeling town on May 21, 2010, while overseeing preparations for a political meeting. At the time when he was assassinated, his party ABGL was the most vocal critic of the Morcha.
Besides murder, criminal conspiracy and rioting, all the accused were charged with rioting with deadly weapons, mischief causing damage and criminal intimidation.
Legal experts said the court hearing on June 6 could possibly decide the fate of the Morcha leaders if arrest warrants are issued against the 23 accused in the case.
The CBI refused to speak on what it would be pressing for on the next date of hearing.
"The usual course of the case's hearing was originally fixed on June 6. We will not speak ahead of this," said a CBI officer.
Probably aware of the next hearing date, the Morcha has already decided to hold a public meeting in Darjeeling on June 7 where party leaders are expected to talk about the implication of the final charge sheet.
"Our supporters from the 20 frontal organisations of the party will attend the meeting along with our party workers from the Terai and Dooars," Morcha assistant secretary Binay Tamang had said yesterday.
According to Trinamul sources, Morcha MLA Harka Bahadur Chhetri, who is also an accused, met chief minister Mamata Banerjee today in the Town Hall and raised the issue of the CBI chargesheet.
Mamata, the sources said, told him the state government was not involved in the matter and could not do anything about it.
The acting chief judge of city sessions court, Gopal Karmakar, today directed the CBI's investigating officer probing into the 2010 murder in Darjeeling to appear before the court on June 6.
The Morcha's top brass, including party chief Bimal Gurung, his wife Asha, and senior leaders Roshan Giri, Binay Tamang, Harka Bahadur Chhetri, have been named in the chargesheet and accused of murder.
The CBI's final chargesheet named 23 leaders and activists of the Morcha.
"The court today took cognisance of the charges that were slapped on the accused in the final chargesheet. But no order of either issuing summons or warrant of arrest against those named in the final chargesheet was issued," said a senior advocate representing the Morcha top brass. "Senior leaders would meet again to discuss what would be the next course of action. But at least we have a breather till June 6."
The court wants the CBI instigation officer to clarify how the agency wants to proceed with respect to all the accused.
Madan Tamang, the chief of the Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League (ABGL), was hacked to death in the heart of Darjeeling town on May 21, 2010, while overseeing preparations for a political meeting. At the time when he was assassinated, his party ABGL was the most vocal critic of the Morcha.
Besides murder, criminal conspiracy and rioting, all the accused were charged with rioting with deadly weapons, mischief causing damage and criminal intimidation.
Legal experts said the court hearing on June 6 could possibly decide the fate of the Morcha leaders if arrest warrants are issued against the 23 accused in the case.
The CBI refused to speak on what it would be pressing for on the next date of hearing.
"The usual course of the case's hearing was originally fixed on June 6. We will not speak ahead of this," said a CBI officer.
Probably aware of the next hearing date, the Morcha has already decided to hold a public meeting in Darjeeling on June 7 where party leaders are expected to talk about the implication of the final charge sheet.
"Our supporters from the 20 frontal organisations of the party will attend the meeting along with our party workers from the Terai and Dooars," Morcha assistant secretary Binay Tamang had said yesterday.
According to Trinamul sources, Morcha MLA Harka Bahadur Chhetri, who is also an accused, met chief minister Mamata Banerjee today in the Town Hall and raised the issue of the CBI chargesheet.
Mamata, the sources said, told him the state government was not involved in the matter and could not do anything about it.
The Telegraph
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