SC seeks Bengal govt's reply on Roshan Giri's plea for protection to fight polls

The Supreme Court Thursday asked the West Bengal government to file its response on a plea by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leader Roshan Giri who has sought the court's protection to fight the Lok Sabha elections.

The state government opposed the plea and told a bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Navin Sinha that Giri was wanted in several cases and the apex court should not grant him any protection from arrest.

The counsel appearing for West Bengal said Giri can participate and even contest the election from jail.

The state's counsel said there was incriminating evidence against Giri, including his telephonic conversations with others.

The bench asked the state to file its reply on Giri's plea and posted the matter for further hearing on March 28.

Giri is one of the accused in the 2010 Madan Tamang murder case. Besides, there area several other cases against him.

Police have claimed that Tamang, who was the All India Gorkha League (AIGL) president, was hacked to death in Darjeeling on May 21, 2010 in broad daylight when he was overseeing preparations for a public meeting.

Giri has been charged with alleged "criminal conspiracy for murder", along with several other aides of him, in the murder case of Tamang.