DARJEELING, : Prakash Gurung, a former Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA)
Sabhasad during GJM chief Bimal Gurung’s regime, was arrested on Sunday in
connection with the murder of police officer Amitava Malik. This marks the
second arrest in relation to the incident this year.
“Under
the initiative of the Lodahama and Darjeeling Sadar PS, Prakashwas arrested and
produced to the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s court today. A warrant had been
pending against him in the murder case ofMalik in the year 2017. The charge
sheet of this case had been submitted against 27 people in the court on 27th
July 2018 and warrants had been issued the same day. Since then, these people
havebeen absconding,” said Darjeeling APP Pankaj Prasad.
The
case of Malik dates back to October 13, 2017 when tension escalated over the
Gorkhaland movement under GJM leader Bimal Gurung’s leadership. On that day
there was an exchange of fire between a police team in pursuit of Bimal Gurung
and his men in Shirubari forest area on the banks of Chota Rangeet River,
around 25 km from Darjeeling.
SI
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 Darjeeling Sadar Police
Station, naming different Morcha leaders and cadres.
Based
on the warrant, Prakash was arrested today and produced in court. His bail plea
was rejected and he has been sent to 14 days of judicial custody, after which
he will be presented in court again.
According
to Prasad, the charge sheet in the case not only includes charges of murder but
also criminal conspiracy, violations of Arms Act and the Explosive Substances
Act. During the investigation, authorities recovered AK-47 rifles and gelatine
sticks.
Prasad
informed that the nine individuals who had been arrested during the 2017
agitation included Dawa Sherpa, Ashwin Gurung, Suraj Pradhan, Paresh Mangar,
Nabin Rai, Feroz Thapa, Deoraj Lepcha, Mahindra Thami and Shyam Thami who were
in judicial custody for six to seven years. He said that they were later given
bail by Calcutta HighCourt Circuit bench.
Recently,
on February 15 this year, one Ayush Rai was arrested with warrants pending
against him for the case.
On
the otherhand, Bimal Gurung who also has a warrant against him had filed an anticipatory
bail plea on November 6, 2024. He was granted bail on February 13 this year
after he surrendered here in the CJM Court.
The
APP maintained that further 15 warrants are pending in this case with those
named in it absconding.
Prakash
Gurung, who was a senior GJM leader, had left the GJM some years back and
remained politically inactive since then. He made a political comeback in
December last year when he joined the newly-formed Indian Gorkha Janshakti
Front.
