Thaindian News

Raipur, Aug 1 (IANS) The Chhattisgarh government has finally pushed ahead with its stalled peace agreement with Maoists reached after the abduction of collector Alex Paul Menon, clearing the way for the release of suspected guerrillas from jails, a top official said Wednesday.

“As per the directive of the state government, the district administration will not oppose the bail application of the suspected Maoists incarcerated in Raipur Central Jail,” Raipur Collector Pardeshi Siddharth Komal told IANS.

In pursuance of the Bilaspur High Court order, Komal, on behalf of the government, had Tuesday submitted an affidavit stating that the government had no objection if the court accepted the bail plea of Meena Choudhary, paving the way for the release of the guerrilla on bail.

Chaudhary, accused of running the urban network of the Maoists, is in prison since January 2008 for her alleged involvement in Maoist activities in Chhattisgarh.

She was arrested four years ago from a locality in Raipur in connection with the seizure of a huge cache of arms in the city. She has been charged with sedition, possessing illegal arms, and also booked under the Chhattisgarh Special Public Security Act and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

Chaudhary is among the 17 people whose release was demanded by the Maoists for freeing Sukma collector Alex Paul Menon who was abducted April 21 from a public hearing camp on the outskirts of Sukma district and released May 3 after the interlocutors chosen by the government and the Maoists brokered a peace deal.

Earlier, the bail plea of Chaudhary was filed in the district and sessions court here where it was rejected.

The plea was then filed in the high court. During the previous hearing, the court had asked the government to clarify its stand on Chaudhary’s release.

Since the government lawyer had not opposed the bail plea in the lower court, the high court directed the additional advocate general to submit an affidavit stating that the state should not oppose the plea in the high court and the advocate general should appear before the court and inform it about the stand of the government.

The government Tuesday submitted an affidavit which stated that it would not oppose the bail plea. The court was also informed about the progress of review of cases by the high-power Nirmala Buch panel.