HC seeks Kobad Ghandy's reply on plea to cancel his bail

Top Maoist ideologue Kobad Ghandy, accused of trying to set up a base for the banned outfit CPI (Maoist) here, was today asked by Delhi High Court to respond to a plea for cancelling his bail in a case under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
Justice P S Teji refused to pass an interim order staying the bail saying there was no one present in court representing Ghandy and instead issued notice to him seeking his reply before the next date of hearing on February 26, 2016.
Delhi police has moved the plea for cancellation of the three-month-long bail, granted to him in September, saying the trial court did not consider the gravity of the offence while passing the order.

It also said that statement of accused during the trial was to be recorded on December 11.
65-year-old Ghandy was granted bail on health grounds by the trial court which had observed that he was suffering from various ailments and his condition has "visibly deteriorated" during the trial period.
The trial court has concluded the recording of prosecution evidence in the case in which Ghandy along with co-accused Rajender Kumar alias Arvind Joshi are facing trial.

Ghandy is facing trial for offences punishable under UAPA and various provisions of the IPC.
An alumnus of the prestigious Doon School and St Xavier's College Mumbai, Ghandy 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 elected to the Maoist Politburo in 2007.
Ghandy was arrested by Special Cell of Delhi Police for allegedly trying to set up a base for CPI (Maoist) in Delhi.
The court had on July 16, 2012 framed charges against him for allegedly being a member of the banned terror group and furthering its activities in violation of the UAPA.

He is also facing trial for allegedly committing forgery, cheating and impersonation.