(IN): Release of scientists nowhere in sight as bandh in Hills continues

July 17, 2008

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Czech officials return to Delhi

Express News ServicePosted online: Thursday , July 17, 2008 at 03:18:54

Updated: Thursday , July 17, 2008 at 03:18:54

*Kolkata, July 16* *Release of scientists nowhere in sight as bandh in Hills

continues*

Realising the impossibility of the release of the two scientists, Petr

Svacha and Emil Kucera, Czech embassy officials returned from Darjeeling

to New Delhi on Wednesday. Sources said they would now take up the issue on

a diplomatic level in the national capital.

Over the last two days in Darjeeling, Czech ambassador Mr Du Hymen and other

embassy officials had tried to collect a certified copy of the order of the

Darjeeling court for filing the bail application in Kolkata.

But their efforts failed as all court work was paralysed because of a bandh

called by the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha in the three subdivisions of the

district.

Advocate Anuj Singh, counsel of the Czech scientists, said he would wait for

next a few days for the copy of the order and the FIR. Then he would file a

special leave petition in the High Court for submitting a bail application.

Meanwhile, representatives of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseon bar

association met Asoke Mohan Chakraborty, West Bengal home secretary on

Thursday to discuss the prevailing situation at the courts in the Hills.

They expressed the apprehension that the state government would transfer the

jurisdiction of different cases from Darjeeling district court to Siliguri

sub-divisional court, according to a recent resolution taken by the Siliguri

bar Association.

Claiming it to be a rumour, Chakraborty said the government would

not transfer the jurisdiction.

Vice-president of the Darjeeling Bar Association, Anand Verma said they

wanted a letter from the Darjeeling district magistrate with a promise of

not shifting the jurisdiction.

After the written commitment, the bar members would consider the suspension

of the strike in courts, he added.

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