Thaindian News

New Delhi, Jan 27 (IANS) The Supreme Court Friday suspended the Andhra Pradesh High Court order granting bail to Maoist leader Kobad Ghandy, accused of being involved in the Aug 15, 2005 bomb attack that killed the then assembly deputy speaker Narsi Reddy and 10 others.

A bench of Justice B.S. Chauhan and Justice K.S.Radhakrishnan also issued notice to Kobad Ghandy alias Aravindhu alias Kamal on a petition by the Andhra Pradesh government that challenged the Aug 10, 2011 high court order granting him bail.

The apex court’s stay came after the Andhra Pradesh government furnished evidence against him and his alleged involvement in 20 other cases.

The apex court, during the last hearing (Jan 4) of the Andhra government’s petition challenging the grant of bail to Ghandy by the high court, had asked the state government to furnish the evidence against Maoist leader.

During the hearing, the apex court had told senior counsel Mahavir Singh, appearing for the state government, that high court has said that there was no evidence against him.

While granting bail, the Andhra High Court noted that there was a lack of evidence and Ghandy had already been in custody for two years. However, in practical terms, the suspension of the high court order does not materially change the situation as Ghandy is already in jail in connection with his involvement in 20 other cases.

Narsi Reddy and ten others were killed in a bomb attack in Mahaboobnagar district of Andhra Pradesh on the Independence Day in 2005. The Andhra Pradesh government had contended that Ghandy had confessed to his role in a confessional statement made after his arrest in Delhi in 2009.