Ghandy faces fresh charges

The Special Cell of the Delhi Police has filed fresh charges against Maoist sympathizer Kobad Ghandy after a sessions court had earlier, on a technicality, dropped all charges against him under the anti-terror law. On April 30, 2012 a Delhi court accepted these fresh charges against Ghandy under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), notes a report in The Indian Express (IE) on May 1, 2012.

Kobad Ghandy: trials and tribulations

Even while the sessions court had decreed the police failure to obtain sanction as "incurable,” it felt there was enough material to make out a case against the 65-year-old under certain sections of the Act. "There is sufficient material on record to make out a prima facie case for offences punishable under Section 20 and 38 of the UAPA against accused Kobad Ghandy” the court observed while accepting the fresh set of charges. Ghandy will now face trial for being a member of a banned terrorist outfit, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), and promoting its activities in the capital, Delhi, reported IE.

Other charges for which he and his co-accused Rajender (a.k.a. Arvind) Joshi will be tried include impersonation, cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code. The IE mentions that evidence collected against Joshi showed that he had helped Ghandy to obtain false documents like voter ID and PAN cards so that the latter could remain in Delhi and carry out his activities under an assumed name.

Chief metropolitan magistrate Vinod Yadav declared that proceedings for all offences would be held at the sessions court and directed that the duo be jointly tried. He rejected Joshi’s argument that he cannot be tried along with Ghandy as no case under UAPA had been made against him, reported IE.