Chhatradhar Mahato appeals for 'home arrest'

KOLKATA: Chhatradhar Mahato, who was arrested in connection with 2009 Rajdhani Express hostage case, appealed to the Special NIA Court to allow him "home arrest" instead of judicial custody at the time of Covid pandemic.

The former Maoist leader Mahato, who is at present a Trinamool Congress leader, was arrested on March 28, a day after the first phase of the Assembly elections in the state were held. In the first phase, polls were held on 30 seats of Jangalmahal (where Mahato has a stronghold) and parts of East Midnapore.

In a 90-minutes long hearing at the Special NIA Court, Mahoto's counsel Dipankar Kundu submitted before the Court to allow him home arrest citing a judgement dated May 12 of the Supreme Court in connection with a Gautam Navlakha versus the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Stating that he is more than 60 days in the correctional home now, Kundu said Mahato had been booked on charges of conspiring the hostage of Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express at Banstala Railway Halt in Jhargram in October 2009.

"But he was in correctional home in connection with Prabir Mahato murder case when the Rajdhani hostage incident had taken place 12 years ago. Then how can he conspire the incident when he was in judicial custody," Kundu said. NIA has filed a petition objecting the move and would submit before the Court on the next date of hearing in this connection on Monday. At present, Mahato is in Presidential Correctional Home.