Gajurel in Chennai on Monday. (PTI)

Chennai, Sept. 18: Nepalese Maoist leader Chandra Prakash Gajurel had barely taken a few steps of freedom when his hands were back in cuffs.

Released from Chennai Central Prison at 9.30 this morning, Gajurel was re-arrested immediately after by a police team from north Bengal.

The 63-year-old Maoist leader had been sentenced to two years in prison by a court in suburban Alandur in 2004 in a “fake passport case”.

A handful of Gajurel’s supporters had gathered outside the jail this morning, shouting slogans to welcome him back.

But to their shock, inspector Pradeep Kumar Dutta was also waiting, an arrest warrant in hand.

Dutta told Gajurel that he was wanted in connection with two cases — of criminal conspiracy and waging war against the state — registered in Bhakti Nagar police station in Siliguri. The cases were filed in 2004, but the Maoist leader was already in prison.

The move sparked anger among Gajurel’s supporters, who picketed the road leading out of the jail complex.

Police dispersed the crowd and the Maoist leader was whisked away to Egmore police station. From there, he was taken to the chief metropolitan magistrate’s court in Egmore, where Dutta appealed for a transit warrant.

As the formalities were not over till evening, Gajurel was again taken to Chennai Central Prison, a senior police official said.

Gajurel’s lawyers protested to the high court, which said it would hear their petition tomorrow.

Another police contingent from Bhakti Nagar police station was scheduled to arrive in Chennai tonight to assist Dutta. But that might not be necessary now that the Egmore court is expected to give the transit remand tomorrow, an official said in Siliguri.

The Bengal team will bring Gajurel by train tomorrow evening. “He will be brought straight to Siliguri and produced in court. We have arrested him for his anti-national activities,” said an officer of Bhakti Nagar police station.

In August 2003, Gajurel was caught with a bogus passport at Chennai airport when he was about to board a flight to London via Frankfurt. Lodged in Chennai Central Prison, the Maoist leader tried to obtain bail twice, but failed.

Gajurel, a politburo member of the CPI (Maoist), was in charge of the outfit’s foreign affairs.