CID letter to Sikkim police seeking details

Kinsuk Basu, TT, Sept. 8: The CID has written to Sikkim police seeking details of those believed to be "harbouring" Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief Bimal Gurung in the Himalayan state, sources said.

"There are reasons to believe that Bimal Gurung is operating out of an undisclosed location in South Sikkim. He has been speaking to a few people, including a section of the media, to send across his message," a senior CID officer told The Telegraph this evening. "In an age of electronic surveillance, it is not so difficult to track someone. We have simply asked for their (Sikkim police) help in executing a court order."

A Darjeeling court had on Wednesday issued arrest warrants against Gurung and seven other Morcha leaders in connection with the June 8 flare-up that triggered the ongoing agitation in the hills.

Officers in the Bengal CID had earlier alleged that they faced resistance from Sikkim police when they reportedly sought necessary documents relating to the search for those believed to have given shelter to Gurung.

Till yesterday, Sikkim police had maintained that they were yet to receive a copy of the court order from the Bengal police.

Sikkim police today denied the allegation of non-cooperation.

In a media release, A. Sudhakar Rao, additiona director-general of the special branch of Sikkim police, said: "Sikkim police is a professional organisation and acts as per the Constitution and law of the land. Never in the 120 years history of Sikkim police has any such allegations been made. These are malicious reports."

A CID officer said: "We have already sent a copy of the order. The senior superintendent of police, South Sikkim, has received it. There should be no issues now."

"We are not pointing fingers at any particular agency. But arrest warrants have been issued by a court and we are supposed to execute it," he added.

Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling has publicly supported the cause for a separate state in the Darjeeling hills.

The CID today said they found evidence of Gurung's location when he spoke to a section of the media about a Morcha delegation heading to Delhi to meet Union home minister Rajnath Singh today. (Additional reporting by Avijit Sinha)