New Delhi: To speed up legal proceedings in a
case involving top Maoist leader Kobad Ghandy`s alleged bid to
set up a base of his banned outfit in the capital, a Delhi
court on Thursday asked the city police to file a synopsis of its
argument on framing of charges against him.
Additional Sessions Judge Pawan Kumar Jain asked the
police to submit its synopsis of arguments, after Ghandy filed
his own contentions in writing opposing framing of charges
against him.
The top Maoist functionary was chargesheeted by the Delhi
Police under various stringent charges of Unlawful Activities
Prevention Act, besides those of cheating, forgery and
impersonation under the Indian Penal Code.
The court gave the direction for expediting its
proceedings in the case as charges against Ghandy are yet to
be framed despite the fact the charge sheet against him was
filed in February 2010.
64-year-old Ghandy was arrested by Special Cell of Delhi
Police in September 2009. The prosecution has accused him and
his associates of trying to set up a Maoist base in the
national capital.
The investigators, who claimed to have recovered a fake
voter identity and pan cards from Ghandy, also referred to a
CD in which he was shown to be addressing armed cadres of the
banned organisation.
The investigators have also pointed out that after his
arrest, Jharkhand Police Inspector Francis Induwar was killed
on October 6, last year and leaflets were distributed in
Maharashtra calling for bandh in protest against his
detention.
An alumni of the prestigious Doon School, Ghandy is said
to be part of the top leadership of erstwhile CPI-ML (People`s
War Group) since 1981 and continued as a Central Committee
member of CPI (Maoist). He was elevated to its Politburo in
2007.
Ghandy is also accused in the killings of Congress leader
Chittem Narsi Reddy, his son Chittem Venkateswara Reddy and 7
others by Maoists in Narayanapet in Mahbubnagar district on
August 15, 2005.
He is currently lodged in Tihar Jail and is facing trial
in around 20 criminal cases in different parts of the
country.
PTI
