Raipur: A local court on Friday turned down the bail pleas of two women Maoists who figured among eight rebels, the ultras wanted to be set free in exchange for the release of Sukma district collector Alex Paul Menon.
Rejecting the bail pleas of Meena Choudhary and Malti alias Shantipriya Reddy, Additional Sessions Judge BP Varma said since their crime appears to be serious in nature, they could not be granted bail.
Public prosecutor SK Sharma had earlier told the district court that there was no objection to the Maoists duo being granted bail.
Meena had filed her bail application on Thursday and Malti filed her plea today after the mediators on behalf of the Maoists, B D Sharma and Prof Hargopal, had contacted the arrested women and asked them to file bail applications, their lawyer Shadik Ali said.
Their lawyer said that they would now move the high court.
Police had arrested Meena and Malti in 2008 following the recovery of a huge stock of weapons in Dagnia area of the state capital Raipur.
Malti was also convicted for carrying a CD and letter sent by the Naxals to a circuit house and completed her 10 year jail term.
PTI
