13 held in Bengal for links with Maoist sent to judicial custody
By IANSWednesday, June 16, 2010
LALGARH - Thirteen people, including three city intellectuals, arrested for alleged links with Maoists in West Bengal’s West Midnapore district were Wednesday remanded by a court to judicial custody for 14 days.
The 13, who have been booked for waging war against the state and charged under various sections of penal code, were presented in a lower court in Jhargram in the district.
West Midnapore Superintendent of Police Monoj Verma said all three city intellectuals — scientist Nisha Biswas, college teacher Kaniska Chowdhury and writer Manik Mandal — went to the villages to meet Maoists and leaders of their frontal body People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA).
They were also present in a kangaroo court besides providing financial help to the rebel outfit.
Communist Party of India-Maoist West Bengal state Committee spokesperson Khokon, however, denied any link with the three intellectuals.
“We never met them and have no links with them. The government is trying to gag the voice of people who are trying to find out the actual condition at Lalgarh,” he said.
