7 GCPA men acquitted from court

 

COOCH BEHAR, Jan. 17: The chief judicial magistrate, Cooch Behar, Mr Manojyoti Bhattacharya today acquitted seven persons from the charges brought against them.

 

It may be recalled here that on 20 September 2005 one ASP and two policemen were killed and there was a bid to blaze a petrol pump at Khagrabari in Cooch Behar during the movement of The Greater Cooch Behar People's Association. Uittam Das, Dhirendranath Roy, Rajib Roy and Alok Barman were arrested in connection with the bid of blazing. On 24 September they were taken into police remand for six days. They allegedly confessed that they kept some firearms and explosives at Dharpara to eliminate their enemies. On 30 September the police allegedly recovered the materials taking the accused four with them. On that day Kotowali police lodged a case against them under section 25(1-B) 35 Arms Act read with section 3/4 Explosives Act. Since then the four were in jail custody. Police submitted chargesheet on 28 February 2006.

 

Observing it a case to be judged at the district sessions court, the then CJM Mr Chapal Kumar Panda sent the case to that court on 19 October 2006. On 2 November in that year hearing was held and the lawyer of the GCPA had opposed running of the case at that court. Then it came back to the CJM court again. At last, examining of the witnesses started on 11 June 2007. Meanwhile, police arrested three others namely Punyeswar Chitrakar, Dilip Sarkar and Dilip Das in connection with the same case.

 

Today, the CJM, Mr Manojyoti Bhattacharya discharged the accused as innocent. The lawyer of the GCPA Mr Shibendra Nath Roy said the acquittal order proved that the police fabricated the case against the seven. Mr Roy and Mr Pulak Dhar appeared for the accused GCPA men in this case.

 

Though acquitted, the persons will have to stay at Cooch Behar District Correctional Home, as there are three other cases pending against them, Mr Roy said. []