Terror charges against Kobad Ghandy dropped by trial court

A Delhi court yesterday put on trial Maoist leader Kobad Ghandy for alleged cheating, forgery and impersonation even as it discharged him of charges under the anti-terror law, according to a PTI report.

Clearing the way for the trial, additional sessions judge Pawan Kumar Jain framed charges against Ghandy under various provisions of the IPC relating to cheating, forgery and impersonation in the case in which he faces accusations of trying to set up a base for banned outfit CPI (Maoist).

Ghandy was however discharged by the court from charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act due to improper sanction from the authorities, the report said.

''In my opinion, case is made out against Ghandy under the provisions of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act but I am discharging (of the charges under UAP Act) him for want of proper sanction,'' the judge said.

According to the PTI, the Maoist leader earlier opposing filing of a supplementary charge sheet against him had said the police had filed the charge sheet despite there being no fresh material against him.

In its main charge sheet, the Special Cell of Delhi Police, had slapped charges under the UAP Act, and also booked him for various offences under the IPC relating to cheating, forgery and impersonation.

An alumnus of the prestigious Doon School, Ghandy was part of the top leadership of erstwhile CPI-ML (People's War Group) from 1981 continuing as a Central Committee member in CPI (Maoist) and was elected to its Politburo in 2007.