GJM leader Bimal Gurung granted anticipatory bail in 2017 SI Amitava Malik murder case
Jalpaiguri/ Darjeeling: Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leader Bimal Gurung, the prime accused in the murder of police officer Amitava Malik, has been granted anticipatory bail. The order was passed on Thursday by a division bench of Justices Jaimalya Bagchi and Gaurang Kant at the Jalpaiguri Circuit Bench of the Calcutta High Court.
The case dates back to 2017 when tensions escalated over the Gorkhaland movement under Gurung’s leadership. Acting on a tip-off, police raided a suspected hideout in Darjeeling’s Sadar Police Station area in an attempt to arrest him. The operation resulted in an exchange of gunfire, during which police officer Amitava Malik was fatally shot. The investigation was initially handled by the police before being transferred to the CID.
Assistant Public Prosecutor Aditi Shankar Chakraborty stated: “Several cases against Bimal Gurung are still pending. While he has been granted anticipatory bail in this case, the trial will continue. The charges involve sections of the Murder and Arms Acts. Many witnesses have not yet been located.” Bimal Gurung’s counsel, Janardan Periwal, confirmed the bail order.
“Around 26 persons have been named in the case with Bimal Gurung as the prime accused. He was also declared a proclaimed offender in this case. In July 2024 we filed a petition to set aside the order in which Gurung was declared proclaimed offender. On October 4, 2024, the order was set aside by the High Court. Following this on November 6, 2024, we had prayed for anticipatory bail for Bimal Gurung in this case.
Today the anticipatory bail was granted by the Honourable High Court. Bimal Gurung will now surrender in the lower court and face trial,” stated Periwal. Incidentally on October 13, 2017, during an ongoing agitation, while a police team was in pursuit of Bimal Gurung and his men in the Shirubari forest area on the banks of Chota Rangeet River around 25 km from Darjeeling there was an exchange of fire between the two sides.
SI Amit Malik had died on the spot allegedly from bullet injuries fired by Gurung’s associates. A suo moto FIR was lodged by the police at the Darjeeling Sadar Police Station naming Gurung and others.
The accused had been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code read with different sections of the Arms Act and Explosive Substances Act.
A large cache of automatic arms including AK47s, Beretta pistol, ammunition and explosives were allegedly recovered by the police from the spot. The case was later handed over to the CID.
