Ranchi, April 1: The government has decided to withdraw Prevention of Terrorism Act (Pota) cases against 83 persons due to lack of evidence.

However, action under Sections of the Indian Penal Code would continue against the accused who are allegedly accomplices of extremists.

The decision, as directed by deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani, was taken after a high-level committee reviewed all the 130 cases today.

The committee, headed by chief minister Arjun Munda, has directed deputy commissioners and superintendents of police to recommend clamping of the Act only after they reviewed the cases.

The committee would hold monthly meetings to review Pota cases. Police stations would continue to impose IPC Sections, but would not have the power to clamp the Act, which is serious in nature, said the chief minister.

Munda held the review meeting after Advani expressed concern over the imposition of Pota against innocent persons.

In a letter written to Advani, the chief minister has assured Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee that innocent persons would not be booked under Pota.

The Pota cases have been withdrawn after the government failed to gather evidence against the accused.

Majority of the accused was booked under Pota for possessing Naxalite documents, sources said.

Till March 15, Jharkhand has lodged 130 cases under Pota against 745 persons.

Of these, 218 persons are under arrest, 185 under detention, 33 on bail and 514 persons are absconding.