Additional District Judge Bashistha Narain Singh ordered the acquittal of the Maoist leaders after holding a hearing on the state government´s petition to withdraw the cases against them, reported Indian media. [break]
According to a news report published on the online edition of Outlook, the Maoist leaders acquitted on Friday include Chitra Bahadur Shrestha, Lokendra Bista, Kul Prasad KC, Kumar Dahal, Hit Bahadur Tamang, Anil Sharma, Dilip Maharjan, Ranju Thapa a.k.a. Tara Gharti Magar, Suman Tamang, Shyam Kishor Prasad Yadav and Min Prasad Apagain.
Talking to Republica, Tara Gharti Magar said, "We have been released under a normal process following a political change in Nepal. I would like to thank those who took the initiatives for our acquittal. There are many of our colleagues still languishing in Darbhanga and Madhubani prisons. I request Indian authorities to release them as well.
"Bihar government on February 1 had moved the court seeking to withdraw cases lodged against them apparently following a request from the Indian Union Home Ministry. The move came at the formal request of Nepal government to withdraw criminal cases against 11 Maoist leaders pending in a district court for the past four years.
The Maoist leaders had been arrested from different hotels of Patna in May 2004 for their alleged involvement in anti-India activities and conspiracy against the erstwhile regime in Nepal and were first issued non-bailable warrants in December 2006.
The Union Home Ministry had recently dispatched a letter to Bihar government requesting it to go ahead with the withdrawal of the cases taking into consideration the changed political scenario in Nepal and friendly relations between the two countries.
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