Gurung lawyer clarifies SC ruling

SNS, DARJEELING, 22 NOVEMBER : Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha chief Bimal Gurung's lawyer, Anup Mitra, today claimed that the Supreme Court has protected Mr Gurung from all the pending criminal cases and that the ruling remains effective until further order or final order, and not for a mere 14 days as news reports suggested.

In the press statement released by Morcha leader Roshan Giri in the party's media group on Whatsapp, Mr Mitra says, A lot of misgivings and misinformation are being spread. Mr.Gurung has been protected from all pending criminal cases named or not named in the FIR, totaling around 300 cases all over the affected area and that the order will remain effective till further or final order" Mr Mitra maintained that the 14 days is the time given to respondents, including the state government, to reply. He further states that Mr Gurung is now free to decide on his movement, programmes and activities and "is not answerable to any character"

Reacting to statements from the Binay Tamang camp on fees being taken by lawyers, Mr Mitra said that there is no such fixed amount and that they sometimes also work for free of cost".