About 70 cases clamped on Bimal Gurung withdrawn

Siliguri: About 70 to 80 petty cases against Gorkha leader Bimal Gurung have been withdrawn out of more than 156 cases pertaining to the Gorkhaland agitation clamped on him by the Bengal Government.

"Out of the more than 156 cases pertaining to the Gorkhaland agitation for the period from 2007 to 2017, opinion was sought by the Legal Remembrance Department under Section 321 CRPC for petty cases like obstruction of Highway under Section 431 IPC. Accordingly, we had given our opinion. This went through the Governor's office and was accepted. Likewise, around 70 to 80 petty cases have been withdrawn," stated Pranay Rai, Public Prosecutor, Darjeeling.

When questioned on the fate of the case pertaining to the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) clamped on Gurung, Rai stated that a writ petition had been filed by Roshan Giri on December 10, 2018 in the Supreme Court pertaining to the UAPA cases. "A Supreme Court Bench had ruled that no coercive action to be taken till next date. Again on April 3 2019, the Bench hearing the case had ordered that the interim order is to remain in operation till further order," added Rai.

"We are not aware of the withdrawal of cases," stated Roshan Giri, General Secretary, GJM.