There was more trouble for the ruling Gorkha Janmukti Morcha of Darjeeling even as Kolkata Court on Saturday issued arrest warrants for its top 21 leaders in the infamous murder case of All India Gorkha league president Madan Tamang.
The AIGl chief was murdered in broad day light in 2015 at Chow Rasta area in Darjeeling hours before he was scheduled to hold a rally.
City Sessions Court Judge GC Karmakar issued arrest warrants against 23 GJM leaders directing the CBI which was investigating the case to execute the order within 20 days.
Among the leaders against whom warrants were issued are GJM chief Bimal Gurung, party second in command Roshan Giri, MlA and ideologue Harka Bahadur Chhetri, Gurung’s wife Asha Gurung, Benoy Tamang and others, CBI counsel said adding the prosecution pleaded before the court that an arrest warrant be passed against the leaders so that they could be grilled in the five-year-old case.
Gurung is also the chairman of the Gorkhaland Territorial Authority. While GJM leader Trilok said they would appeal before the High Court against the Saturday’s order AIGl leader Pratap Khati demanded “immediate arrest of those named in the order.”
One of the accused Nicole Tamang who had reportedly committed the murder had escaped from police custody soon after his arrest a few years ago. He was since at large.