Delhi Court Dismisses Plea For Taking Kobad Ghandy To Telangana

New Delhi: A Delhi court has dismissed a plea by Telangana Police seeking its nod to take Maoist ideologue Kobad Ghandy, facing trial for allegedly trying to set up a base for the banned CPI (Maoist), to produce him before courts in that state in some other cases.

Additional Sessions Judge Reetesh Singh said the request of Telangana Police cannot be allowed at this stage, after the prosecutor argued that the trial against him in the case here was at its fag end and his presence was required here.

"In view of the submissions made by the additional public prosecutor for the state, the prayer made in this application cannot be granted at this stage," the court said.

In its application, Telangana Police told the court that by a notification of November 27 last year, the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi had revoked its order of June 23, 2010 regarding detention of Mr Ghandy at the Tihar Jail.

The police said Mr Ghandy was required to be produced before courts in Mahabubnagar district of Telangana in connection with the cases pending there.

The 65-year-old is facing trial here in the case for alleged offences punishable under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The court had earlier framed charges against co-accused Rajender Kumar under various sections of the IPC in the case.

Mr Ghandy, an alumnus of the prestigious The Doon School and St Xavier's College Mumbai, is facing prosecution in around 20 criminal and terror cases in different parts of the country.

According to the police, he was said to be part of the top leadership of erstwhile CPI-ML (People's War Group) since 1981. He allegedly continued as a Central Committee member in CPI (Maoist) after the merger with People's War Group and was elected to the Maoist Politburo in 2007.

Mr Ghandy was arrested by Special Cell of Delhi Police for allegedly trying to set up a base for CPI (Maoist) in Delhi.