Umesh Kami and Ganesh Chhetri arrested in the arms haul case in Assam last month have revealed during interrogation that the consignment was procured from one of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland factions in Nagaland and that some Gorkhaland Personnel (GLP) youths had also undergone arms training with the militant group.
This revelation has been made by the CID team in its FIR after interrogating the two accused who was produced in the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) court in Darjeeling on Monday, said sources. “The CID’s FIR mentions that the two accused had revealed that arms were purchased from Dimapur even before, which were delivered in Darjeeling. Kami and Chhetri have also disclosed that 15 GLPs and some others had undergone four months underground training in the militant camp in Nagaland in 2013,” the source said.
Colonel Ramesh Allay (retired), a GJM central committee leader who was in-charge of the GLP refuted the charge, however, made by the two accused saying it was baseless. "The GLP is non-existent at the moment after the formation of the GTA. The allegation that the GLP undertook training in Nagaland is completely false and baseless," he said when asked for his comment.
The GLPs was formed by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) during the heights of the second phase of the statehood agitation, but which has been disbanded at present. The job of the GLPs comprising youths was to manage crowds during GJM public meetings.
According to the source, a CID team was sent to Assam to investigate possible link between the November 8 arms haul and a similar incident on January 30, 2014, in the Fulbari check post area under the Bhaktinagar police station. “In January early this year, police had recovered semi and automatic rifles from the Fulbari area. After the Assam arms haul incident, a CID team was sent to investigate a possible link,” the source said.
Sources said during interrogation the two accused had also revealed to the CID team that the arms procured from Nagaland including the one recovered in January was meant to be delivered in Darjeeling. And that earlier too arms brought were kept in the house of Sanjeev Gurung of Tukvar, who is presently absconding.
The CID in its FIR has also said that on December 6, a rifle and few rounds of ammunition along with discriminating leaflets in the name of the Gorkha Liberation Army (GLA), a less known outfit, were recovered from an isolated area of 27th Mile under the Rangli-Rangliot police station. “Based on the statement of the two accused the CID team had recovered arms from the 27th Mile area. Leaflets containing literature calling for armed struggle for a separate Gorkhaland state by the GLA group was also found. Simultaneously a FIR was also filed in the Rangli-Rangliot police station the same day,” said the source.
Pankaj Prasad, the assistant public prosecutor said the two accused was sent to judicial custody and will have to be produced in the court on Tuesday. “We had sought ten days police custody of the two accused to investigate further of other links. However, the CJM court judge has directed to furnish the FIR copy of the CID along with the remand prayer and the GLA leaflets. The two accused have been sent to the Darjeeling correctional home and will have to be produced in the court tomorrow,” he said, adding that the District Intelligence Branch (DIB) would be investigating the case henceforth.
The two accused had told the Assam police during interrogation that the arms consignment was meant to be delivered to Sanjay Thulung, a GTA Sabhasad from Tukdah-Glenburn constituency and vice-president of GJM’s youth front, who is currently on the run.
Thulung along with Kami and Chhetri and 10 others have been booked under sections 120B, 121, 121A, 122, 123, 124A of the Indian Penal Code read with 25 and 27 Arms Act.
Source; EOI
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| The two accused Ganesh Chettri and Umesh Kami and the Darjeeling-bound consignment of arms seized in Chirang district in Assam on November 8 |
Colonel Ramesh Allay (retired), a GJM central committee leader who was in-charge of the GLP refuted the charge, however, made by the two accused saying it was baseless. "The GLP is non-existent at the moment after the formation of the GTA. The allegation that the GLP undertook training in Nagaland is completely false and baseless," he said when asked for his comment.
The GLPs was formed by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) during the heights of the second phase of the statehood agitation, but which has been disbanded at present. The job of the GLPs comprising youths was to manage crowds during GJM public meetings.
According to the source, a CID team was sent to Assam to investigate possible link between the November 8 arms haul and a similar incident on January 30, 2014, in the Fulbari check post area under the Bhaktinagar police station. “In January early this year, police had recovered semi and automatic rifles from the Fulbari area. After the Assam arms haul incident, a CID team was sent to investigate a possible link,” the source said.
Sources said during interrogation the two accused had also revealed to the CID team that the arms procured from Nagaland including the one recovered in January was meant to be delivered in Darjeeling. And that earlier too arms brought were kept in the house of Sanjeev Gurung of Tukvar, who is presently absconding.
The CID in its FIR has also said that on December 6, a rifle and few rounds of ammunition along with discriminating leaflets in the name of the Gorkha Liberation Army (GLA), a less known outfit, were recovered from an isolated area of 27th Mile under the Rangli-Rangliot police station. “Based on the statement of the two accused the CID team had recovered arms from the 27th Mile area. Leaflets containing literature calling for armed struggle for a separate Gorkhaland state by the GLA group was also found. Simultaneously a FIR was also filed in the Rangli-Rangliot police station the same day,” said the source.
Pankaj Prasad, the assistant public prosecutor said the two accused was sent to judicial custody and will have to be produced in the court on Tuesday. “We had sought ten days police custody of the two accused to investigate further of other links. However, the CJM court judge has directed to furnish the FIR copy of the CID along with the remand prayer and the GLA leaflets. The two accused have been sent to the Darjeeling correctional home and will have to be produced in the court tomorrow,” he said, adding that the District Intelligence Branch (DIB) would be investigating the case henceforth.
The two accused had told the Assam police during interrogation that the arms consignment was meant to be delivered to Sanjay Thulung, a GTA Sabhasad from Tukdah-Glenburn constituency and vice-president of GJM’s youth front, who is currently on the run.
Thulung along with Kami and Chhetri and 10 others have been booked under sections 120B, 121, 121A, 122, 123, 124A of the Indian Penal Code read with 25 and 27 Arms Act.
Source; EOI
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