Cal HC refuses to pass order on Chhatradhar's bail plea

The Calcutta High Court today refused to pass any order on a bail petition by Chatradhar Mahato, a prominent tribal leader who was the face of the Lalgarh movement in West Bengal, saying it would hear out his appeal and bail application together.

A division bench comprising Justice M Mumtaz Khan and Justice Joy Sengupta said it would hear the appeal and bail application from July 25.

Senior counsel Sekhar Bose prayed for the bail of Mahato who was serving a life sentence and had been in jail for nearly 10 years.

The court said that it would not decide on the bail petition before hearing Mahato's appeal against his conviction and sentence by a trial court.

Mahato was the convenor of Police Santrash Birodhi Janasadharaner Committee (Peoples Committee Against Police Atrocities) at Lalgarh in West Midnapore district.

He was arrested in September 2009 on several charges, including waging war against the country and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and was alleged to be close to Maoists, who once held sway over the tribal Jangalmahal area.

He was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Midnapore district court in 2015.

The Maoists were dislodged after an extensive flushing out operation by the central forces, assisted by units of the state police.

Contingents of central paramilitary force were still deployed in the Jangalmahal area.