Arrest order on Morcha

TT, Calcutta, June 6: The city civil and sessions court today directed the CBI to arrest virtually the entire leadership of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, including party chief Bimal Gurung, within June 26 in the Madan Tamang murder case. 

Acting chief judge G.C. Karmakar's order covers Gurung and 22 others whose names figure in the final chargesheet the CBI had submitted recently. 

The arrest warrant should be executed by the CBI's superintendent of police, the court said, ensuring that state police are not involved in the arrest process.

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. When Tamang was assassinated, his party was the most vocal critic of the Morcha.

Soon after word reached Darjeeling, Bharati Tamang, the widow of Madan Tamang, and other senior leaders lit candles at the spot where her husband had been murdered.

Bharati said: "On hearing today's development, I am feeling happy. I have full faith in the judiciary and no one is above law. I am confident that justice will be delivered."

Outside the court complex in Calcutta, Amar Lama, Madan Tamang's brother, said: "We have been waiting for this for five long years. The law will take its own course. I believe we still have a long way to go."

In the court, the CBI had sought the warrant of arrest against the 23 accused named in the final chargesheet.

CBI counsel Arun Kumar Bhagat said that while presenting the chargesheet, the agency had requested that appropriate "process" be initiated against the accused.

"This means either issuing warrant of arrest or summons against the accused. Since Bharati Tamang had sought the arrest warrants, we sided with her wish," Bhagat said.

The lawyers representing Gurung and the other Morcha leaders said that in October 2013, the Supreme Court had directed the CBI to file a comprehensive report which the investigating agency had not done.

"Since it is yet to file this report, how can it go ahead with the final chargesheet?" asked Sayan Dey, one of the lawyers representing the Morcha.

After hearing both sides, the judge took a break and passed the order after nearly two hours.

"The CBI is to execute the arrest order", said a lawer.

CBI counsel Arun Kumar Bhagat said that while presenting the chargesheet, the agency had requested that appropriate " process" be initiated against the accused. " 

This means either issuing warrant of arrest or summons against the accused. Since Bharati Tamang had sought the arrest warrants, we sided with her wish," Bhagat said. 

The lawyers representing Gurung and the other Morcha leaders said that in October 2013, the Supreme Court had directed the CBI to file a comprehensive report which the investigating agency had not done. 

" Since it is yet to file this report, how can it go ahead with the final chargesheet?" asked Sayan Dey, one of the lawyers representing the Morcha.