CID attaches house of Bimal Gurung following court order

Darjeeling: Carrying out a court order, the CID have attached the house of Gorkha leader Bimal Gurung and his wife Asha Gurung, located on the outskirts of Darjeeling town.

Incidentally, Gurung and his wife have been on the run since June last year. The CID, aided by the Darjeeling Police, arrived at Patleybash, 5 km from Darjeeling town on Wednesday and carried out the attachment order.

The three-storied residential building was attached, along with movable assets that were inside the house, including furniture and other household goods.

An inventory of seized items is being prepared, which will be handed over to the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Darjeeling.

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), under the leadership of Gurung, had locked horns with security forces on June 8, 2017. GJM had been on agitation mode in the Hills.

Police reports claim that more than 45 security force personnel were injured in the clash. A police booth was set on fire. 15 police vehicles were also torched, along with a state government Bus. Army personnel were deployed in Darjeeling, Ghoom and Kurseong, to control the situation.

On that day, GJM had taken out rallies and staged a sit-in demonstration a short distance away from the Raj Bhawan, where the state cabinet meeting was taking place. Later, the demonstration turned violent and clashes had ensued. The GJM in turn had alleged that many of their supporters were also injured in the clashes.

The police had lodged a suo motu FIR and a case had been started at Darjeeling Sadar police station on June 9. The case was handed over to the CID on June 29, 2017. On September 6, arrest warrants were issued against Bimal Gurung, Asha Gurung, Roshan Giri and 5 front-rung GJM leaders. The CJM Court had ordered them to appear in court and surrender in November 2017.

"Bimal Gurung, Asha Gurung, Roshan and others failed to make an appearance on the designated date. On March 28, 2018, the CID prayed that these absconders be declared as offenders and their movable and immovable properties be attached. The Court then issued an order of attachment," stated Pankaj Prasad, Assistant Public Prosecutor, Darjeeling.