Prominent lalgarh leader and People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities chief Chhatradhar Mahato was on Monday awarded life imprisonment along with five other people under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.
The PCAPA chief, known for his radical stand and proximity to the Maoists of Jangal Mahal led by slain Maoists top leader Kishenji, was awarded life sentence along with his alleged mentors and pro-Maoist ideologues Raja Sarkhel and Prasun Mukherjee. Others who have been given the same sentence are Sogen Murmu, Sambhu Murmu and Sukhshanti Baskey.
Mahato, brother of exterminated Maoist leader Sasadhar Mahato, was arrested during the closing years of the left rule. Having snapped on several occasions with senior Trinamool leaders including Mamata Banerjee, the PCAPA chief is the first person to have been convicted under the UAPA.
The other two accused Sarkhel and Mukherjee were convicted under IPC sections of attempting to murder, sedition and criminal conspiracy. Calcutta High Court had in 2012 had granted Mahato and others political prisoners’ status.
The Association for Protection of Democratic Rights has announced a protest march against the conviction on Thursday accusing the Chief Minister for “using these leaders for her own political benefit and later binning them after coming to power.” The APDR leaders said that the “present Government had promised to release all political prisoners after coming to power but they have not done so which is why we will protest.”