Kathmandu, Sept 13: Nepal's new Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai today asked New Delhi to take “necessary steps” to withdraw the reported convictions of 11 senior Maoist leaders found guilty of anti-India activities by the Patna High Court.
During a meeting with Indian Ambassador Jayanta Prasad, Bhattarai asked India to “take necessary steps” to reverse the conviction.
“The Prime Minister today called Ambassador Prasad to his office at Singhdurbar and drew his attention to the Indian High Court's verdict regarding the Maoist leaders,” the Prime Minister's Press Advisor Ram Rijhan Yadav told PTI.
“The Prime Minister has asked the Indian envoy to take necessary steps to scrap the High Court's verdict against the senior Maoist leaders,” Yadav said.
He said the “the ambassador has assured the Prime Minister to cooperate with him and take whatever steps required as per the law in this matter”.
Eleven Maoist leaders, including two politburo members, six lawmakers, were arrested in Patna on May 2, 2004 for alleged involvement in anti-India activities, including colluding with the Indian Maoists, and jailed in Beur Jail for over two years.
They were later released on bail in 2006. Subsequently, they were tried in absentia and the court reportedly slapped fine and jail terms between three and six years earlier this month for being involved in anti-India activities.
However, the sentencing by the court could not be confirmed.
Maoist spokesman Dinanath Sharma said they were arrested in Patna while returning from a top party meeting.
Agitated Maoists leaders yesterday raised the issue in parliament, saying the case has become irrelevant in the new political context where they have joined mainstream politics after the end of insurgency in 2006. PTI
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