Suspected Maoist accused of Silda attack granted bail

The Calcutta High Court Thursday granted bail to a suspected Maoist who was accused of being involved in an attack on an Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) camp in 2010 that left 24 personnel dead.

The EFR is a paramilitary force of West Bengal.

Bikram, alias Arnab Dam, was in custody for over seven years for his alleged involvement in the February 15, 2010 attack on the EFR camp in Silda, West Midnapore district. It is considered to be the biggest strike by the Maoists in the state.

Expressing displeasure at the prosecution for the delay in concluding hearing in the case, a division bench comprising justices Joymalya Bagchi and M Mandal granted conditional bail to Bikram.

 

The petitioner will have to provide five local sureties of Rs 10,000 each, the bench directed.

He was directed to live under the jurisdiction of the Sonarpur police station and meet the inspector holding the charge of the police station every alternate day.

Praying for bail, the lawyer for the accused submitted that he has been in custody for the last seven years since his arrest in 2012, but his trial has not yet been completed.

It was also submitted that Bikram is not the main accused in the case and that he has got bail in 24 other cases lodged against him.

Opposing the bail prayer, prosecution lawyers submitted that they have prayed before the lower court for holding the trial on a day-to-day basis and also claimed that several witnesses have already been examined.

At least 24 EFR personnel were killed when the ultras overran the camp at Silda in West Midnapore after setting it on fire.

At least 100 Maoists armed with sophisticated weapons had arrived on motorcycles and four-wheelers, exploded landmines near the Silda camp before barging inside with a volley of fire.