Golay supporters make bail in Rhenock incident

GANGTOK, 17 Jan: Thirteen persons arrested on charges of being involved in the vandalizing of the Rhenock Police Station on 11 January were released on bail today.
Judicial Magistrate [East & North], Suraj Chettri, granted bail to the 13 accused after hearing the bail application moved by a team of lawyers headed by Bandan Rai while the public prosecutor Chandra Shekar Ghimerey opposed the bail.
After hearing both the parties at length, the Judicial Magistrate reserved the order and passed the order later in the afternoon releasing all the accused on surety bond bail of Rs.35,000 each.
The Judicial Magistrate has directed all the accused persons to cooperate with the Investigating Officer in the case and not to leave the state without the permission of the court and the IO.
All the 13 arrested: Bishal Tamang, 29; Ajay Rai, 23; Jitu Gurung, 26; Mahendra Subba, 30; Bikash Limboo, 30; JB Basnett, 47; KN Sharma, 23; Laxmi Niroula, 38; YT Lepcha, 45; Bikash Limboo, 18; KT Bhutia, 45; Sandeep Gurung, 21 and K Manger, 26 were released from the State Jail at Rongyek, this evening. All are supporters of the dissident SDF MLA, PS Tamang [Golay], and were picked up after the group demanding the arrest of former MLA KB Chamling [in connection with the seizure of literature deemed defamatory to Mr. Tamang] went berserk at Rhenock last week and vandalized the Rhenock Police Station and damaged an impounded vehicle there.
A group of Golay supporters were outside the Rongyek Jail to receive the 13 with khadas.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Judicial Magistrate had also released Janak Chettri, Mr. KB Chamling’s driver in whose vehicle 228 defamatory booklets had been found. Also today, the Judicial Magistrate also cleared the release of the vehicle seized in connection with the episode of vandalism.
Meanwhile, several others named in the FIR for their alleged involvement in the Rhenock incident are still absconding. Among the accused named in the FIR at the Rhenock police station but still to be arrested are Neema Theeng, MK Subba, Sonam Lachungpa, Phuchung Bhutia, DB Chettri, V Khatiwara, NR Pradhan, Santosh Pradhan, Pravin Subba, Dawa Tamang and KT Adhikari.