Cops to move plea to withdraw UAPA charges on Bankura ‘Maoists’

The Bankura Police is likely to move a petition seeking withdrawal of the Unlawful Activities (Preventionin) Act (UAPA) under which the two suspected Maoists were booked.

On June 29 ACJM court, Khatra, had remanded Gopinath Murmu and Kanchan Murmu in police custody for 13 days. They will be produced in the court on July 12.

Vishal Garg, Superintendent of Police, Bankura, said they have consulted lawyers on the legal procedure of withdrawal of the Central Act. Garg hinted that a petition would be moved on the next date of production the Maoists. He said Bankura police would act according to the instructions of the home secretary.

Gopinath and Kanchan were arrested from a forest near Kargil More in the Sarenga police station area while allegedly trying to plant a landmine. The police had slapped UAPA against them.

Advocate Ranjan Roy, a criminal lawyer practising in the High Court, said: “The state government will have to move a petition to the ACJM court just to inform it that the police do not want to prosecute them under the central Act. The court has nothing to say when the police want to withdraw the central Act from them.”

Asimesh Goswami, Public Prosecutor of the state government in the Calcutta High Court, said the police will have to lodge a separate criminal case as the UAPA will be withdrawn. The police have already brought the charges of anti-national activities against them. Goswami said that the police should book them under Section 121 of IPC (waging war against the government) after withdrawal of UAPA.

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