Subash Ghisingh

Jalpaiguri, June 21: The district and sessions court here has turned down a petition to constitute a commission in Darjeeling to record Subash Ghisingh?s statements.

The government pleaders have been also instructed to ensure that the GNLF chief appears in court on dates specified for hearings.

According to court sources, after listening to both sides, the court rejected the government pleaders? petition.

Akhil Biswas, the lawyer of Chattre Subba, the prime accused in the Ghisingh assasination case, said the GNLF chief was apprehending a lapse in security measures.

?The government pleaders had placed a petition under section 284 of the CrPc. They had said security was a problem here, but we told the court that Ghisingh often goes to Delhi and Calcutta,? said Biswas.

The lawyer said in case such an arrangement was made, then not only the commissioner appointed by the court, but also the lawyers and those accused would have to be present before the commission. Fifty-four of the 76 witnesses have appeared before the court in relation to the case that has been going on for the past two years.

?It is not feasible to take all the convicts to Darjeeling for one person?s security. Also, there are 14 lawyers in the case who need to go there, along with all records and necessary documents. Such an elaborate arrangement is not rational,? Biswas added.

Shubhrangshu Chaki, another lawyer for the accused, said the setting up of a commission would mean a burden on the government exchequer.

The government pleaders, however, denied that they had ever moved such a petition. ?We had only discussed the issue, not moved a petition,? said Milan Sarkar, the special public prosecutor from Siliguri, representing the state.