Kalyan Dewan -Senior GTA member released on bail

SNS, Kurseong 16 December 2013: In step with the chief minister, Miss Mamata Banerjee’s assurance to the GJMM leaders that the GTA members behind bars would be released one by one, another GTA executive member, Kalyan Kumar Dewan, elected from Nimbung 41 constituency under Kalimpong sub-division, was granted bail by the Additional District and Sessions Court, Kurseong. 

He would be released tomorrow. He was not present when the case was heard as he was lodged in Darjeeling jail. Dewan was arrested on 12 August when the renewed chapter of Gorkhaland stir began in the Hills following the Centre having given a green signal for the formation of Telangana, by diving Andhra Pradesh. 

Recently, on 5 December, a GTA member from Mahanadi-Tindharia constituency, Mrs Prabha Chettri, was granted bail and released by the same court. The defense lawyers, Mr Rajen Thapa and Mr H W Lama, said that a bail hearing involving Mr Dewan was conducted today and Judge Tarak Nath Bhagat granted him the bail. 

They further informed that under sections 147/148/149/323/324/506 and 326 of IPC, the case was heard today. Besides the section-326, all other sections are bailable. So he was granted bail as regards the case filed under the non-bailable section. The lawyers further informed that on 30 June 2013, some GNLF supporters were allegedly attacked by the GJMM activists at Khaharay Khola in Kurseong and later on 6 November, the same case was tagged to Dewan and he was ‘shown arrest’. He had already been granted bails in different cases save for the one the hearing of which was taken up today. 

He obtained bail against a surety amount of Rs 3000, it is learnt. After Chettri and Dewan are released there are still eight more GTA Sabha members who are languishing in different jails. 

The GTA Sabha members who are still behind bars are Binay Tamang, Mahendra Pradhan, Arun Singchi, Nima Tamang, Yogendra Rai, Anosh Thapa, Pranay Thapa and Anit Thapa.