RANCHI: Dreaded surrendered Maoist commander Kundan Pahan, currently lodged in Hazaribagh Open Jail along with his family, will seek permission from Court for contesting the upcoming Assembly elections in Jharkhand. Pahan, facing more than 100 criminal cases related to loot and murder including that of killing former Minister Ramesh Singh Munda, is likely to contest from Tamar Assembly constituency.
Pahan, the ‘regional committee secretary’ of Communist Party of India (Maoist), also an accused in the killing of special branch inspector Francis Indwar in 2008 and of looting Rs 5 crore from an ICICI bank cash van, had surrendered before Police under the ‘surrender policy’ of the State Government during a grand function organized by the department on May 17.
“We will soon be filing an application seeking permission from the special NIA Courtin Ranchi to contest the upcoming Assembly elections in Jharkhand,” said Pahan’s advocate Ishwar Dayal. The application is being filed after Pahan expressed is desire to contest elections for public service, he added.
The Advocate also said that Pahan may be contesting 2019 polls from Tamar Assembly seat, from where Vikas Singh Munda, son of the slain minister Ramesh Singh Munda is MLA from AJSU Party, but recently joined Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM).
Notably, surrender of Kundan Pahan snowballed into controversy as objections were raised from several quarters over Jharkhand government’s surrender policy for the Maoists. The Jharkhand High Court, on media reports explaining how Kundan Pahan was made to surrender during a grand function organized by Ranchi Police, took suo-motto cognizance and also questioned the surrender policy of the State Government.
General Secretary of Jharkhand High Court Advocate Association Hemant Sikarwar who was also appointed Amicus Curie in the case, said that despite the long list of crimes committed by the hardcore Maoist leader Kundan Pahan, he is striving to contest elections, which isn't a good sign, both for democracy and the society.
Another accused in the murder of Ramesh Singh Munda, former minister Gopal Das Patar alias Raja Peter, also arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) will also be contesting these Assembly elections and was recently been granted permission by the special NIA court for filing his nomination.