Gurung, Giri among 6 declared 'proclaimed offenders' by court

Darjeeling: Bimal Gurung and Roshan Giri along with four others were declared "proclaimed offenders" by a Darjeeling court. Two notices to this effect were pasted in different parts of Darjeeling including Giri's house by the police on Tuesday.

"The Chief Judicial Magistrate Court has declared Bimal Gurung, Roshan Giri and others as proclaimed offenders. They can be arrested from anywhere in the country without arrest warrants now," said Tirtha Sarathi Nath, Inspector-in-charge of Darjeeling Sadar police station.

Gurung has been charged in a Darjeeling sadar police station case under sections 448, 386 and 435 of the Indian Penal Code.

Roshan Giri and others have been charged under sections 427, 436 and 341 of the IPC, read with sections of the PDPP Act and WBMPO Act. The others include Priyavardhan Rai, Sabitri Rai, Suman Rai and Subash Rai.

Despite Warrant Pending Arrest (WPA) issued in their name, the arrests are still pending. They haven't surrendered in court either, which is why the court declared them "proclaimed offenders."

In case of Gurung the WPA had been issued on March 22. Incidentally, in June 2017 following clashes between Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supporters and security forces in Darjeeling, the GJM under the leadership of Bimal Gurung had launched an agitation in the Hills.