GJM chief Bimal Gurung
A city sessions court on Tuesday rejected a CBI appeal for issuing an arrest warrant against Bimal Gurung and 21 other Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leaders in the Madan Tamang murder case.
On Monday, only 26 out of 48 accused were present in court. While the total number of accused was 54, four of them died and two others have been absconding till date. During Monday’s hearing, the CBI had argued that to frame charges against the accused, their presence was required. The city sessions court on Tuesday ruled out the agency’s argument, instead accepting the submission from the defence that the missing accused are being represented by their lawyer.
The GJM counsel also prayed before the court for the protection of GJM activists residing at Gorkha Bhavan in Salt Lake. According to PTI, the counsel had claimed that the GJM leaders had been interrogated and followed by officers after Monday’s session. The court, in turn, directed Bidhannagar City Police to look into the matter.
The CBI had on Monday sought an arrest warrant against GJM president Bimal Gurung, his wife Asha Gurung, GJM secretary Roshan Giri, Morcha assistant general secretary Binay Tamang and 18 others. All India Gorkha League leader Madan Tamang was killed in the heart of Darjeeling on May 21, 2010.
