Bimal Gurung (File) Bimal Gurung (File) The Supreme Court on Monday restrained the West Bengal Police from taking any “coercive action” against Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leader Bimal Gurung. Gurung and some of his aides have been absconding since August, after they were booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with the violence in Darjeeling hills during the recent 104-day agitation for a separate state of Gorkhaland. “Issue notice, returnable in two weeks. In the meantime, no coercive steps shall be taken against the petitioner,” a bench of Justice A K Sikri and Justice Ashok Bhushan ordered. The petition, which sought an independent probe into the alleged extra-judicial killings of Gorkhaland supporters, said it had approached the court “in light of the standoff between the government of West Bengal and the members and supporters of GJM, wherein illegal, overt and perverse steps have been taken by the state agencies in order to quell the democratic and peaceful movement by GJM.” “Innocent protesters have chosen to peacefully express their desire for a separate state of Gorkhaland comprising the Hills of Darjeeling, Dooars and Siliguri Terai. But the state has victimised them and foisted false cases against them,” Gurung alleged. Later, in a release to media persons, Gurung thanked the Supreme Court for granting him relief from arrest till his anticipatory bail plea comes up for hearing. “The GJM, under my leadership, has always followed the path shown by Gandhiji, and we have rigorously pursued non-violent and constitutional means of raising our demand for Gorkhaland. However, numerous false cases have been slapped against me and GJM leaders and cadres loyal to the Gorkhaland cause…” he said. He urged the SC and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to order SC-monitored NIA probes into all cases of bomb blasts and arms hauls in the Hills, and CBI probes into the killing of 13 Gorkhaland activists “in cold blood by the police and the suspicious circumstances under which police officer Amitabha Mullick was killed”. Earlier in the day, Gurung was suspended from GJM by rival faction leader Binay Tamang, who assumed the role of the new party president. For all the latest Kolkata News, download Indian Express App

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