Chargesheet on firing

Darjeeling, Oct. 24: A chargesheet against 26 people accused in the firing, which killed a Gorkha Janmuki Morcha supporter, was today submitted in the chief judicial magistrate’s court here.

The bullet had been allegedly fired from the house of GNLF leader Deepak Gurung on July 25 and had killed Pramila Sharma on the spot.

Technically, the submission of the chargesheet has paved way for the trial but with only 14 of the 26 arrested till date, it could take some time to start. The two main charges against the accused are murder and illegal possession of arms.

“A warrant will be issued against the absconders. If it cannot be executed, the court will issue another warrant for proclamation and attachment (WPA) of the properties of the absconders. Following this, the court can split the case for trial of those already arrested and those that have not been. They will then have to be committed (referred) to the sessions court,” said a lawyer.

The CJM’s court has no jurisdiction on murder cases. Except for Gurung, the president of the GNLF Darjeeling Branch Committee, and N.K. Kumai, the president of the party’s labour union, the rest of the 12 accused were produced in court today. The two leaders could not be brought on medical reasons.

“The bail applications of the accused were rejected by the court today,” said Govind Chhetri, assistant public prosecutor.

With no lawyers to defend the accused, A.R. Dewan, general secretary, GNLF Darjeeling Branch Committee, and Tika Khati, both accused, made submissions on behalf of all the arrested persons. Khati said he had earlier made a submission to the court for certified copies of orders rejecting the bail and the FIR but were yet to get them.

U.K. Nandi, the chief judicial magistrate, ordered that a copy of the chargesheet, along with the latest order of the court and the FIR, be given to the accused. The next date of hearing has been fixed on November 7.