Calcutta High Court on Thursday granted interim bail to Gorkha Janmukti Morcha president Bimal Gurung in connection with the murder a sub-inspector of police.
When the Gorkhaland agitation led by the Morcha had rocked the hills in 2017, a police force conducted a raid on an alleged hideout of Gurung under the jurisdiction of Sadar police station in Darjeeling. Gunshots were fired and SI Amitabha Malik died.
The police registered a case in which Gurung was named the main accused. The case was later handed over to the CID.
A division bench of Justice Joimalya Bagchi and Justice Gaurang Kanth of the high court's circuit bench at Jalpaiguri heard Gurung’s petition and granted him interim bail.
Aditi Shankar Chakraborty, the government lawyer, said some police cases were still pending against Gurung and he had been granted bail in certain cases. “In this case, charges of murder and under the Arms Act were brought against him. Even if the bail is granted, the hearing will continue,” he said.