Supreme Court rejects Champion’s release plea

SHILLONG: The Supreme Court on Friday rejected the bail plea of jailed GNLA chairman Champion Sangma.
However, the Court, during the hearing of the special leave petition on Friday, said Champion is free to move bail before the courts where his cases are pending, Supreme Court lawyer and State counsel Ranjan Mukherjee said over phone from Delhi.
According to the Supreme Court, the lower courts should hear the bail applications of Champion on merit.
Further, the Court directed the State government to furnish him a complete list of cases pending against him with their status.
Earlier, the counsels of Champion made submissions that the Court of Additional Deputy Commissioner (Judicial), East Khasi Hills, had granted bail on February 15 this year but he was not enlarged on bail despite the order of the court.
Mukherjee, who appeared before the Court on behalf of the State government, said the stand of the government was that the High Court in an order on March 1 dismissed the writ petition of Champion since the accused was wanted in connection with the Baghmara police station case of 2011 in which a non-bailable warrant of arrest is pending against him.
Hence, the Supreme Court disposed of the special leave petition filed by Champion who was booked under Pynursla case related to offences under Section 121/121(a) of the IPC read with Sections 16, 18, 38(1), 38(2) of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967, and Section 12 of Indian Passport Act, 1967.