Amitava Banerjee, MP, 27 June 2025, Darjeeling: The City Sessions Court, Calcutta, on Thursday framed charges against the 47 accused, including Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief Bimal Gurung, in the Madan Tamang murder case. The court further ordered that evidence will be presented (trial) from July 23. Amar Lama, brother of the slain leader, talking to Millennium Post, stated: “As per the date fixed in the court of Judge Sukumar Roy, the framing of charges took place in the presence of all 47 accused. Evidence will be presented from July 23.”
All India Gorkha League (AIGL) leader Madan Tamang was hacked to death on May 21, 2010, by an armed mob at around 9:20 AM at the Upper Clubside Stand in Darjeeling town while overseeing preparations for a public meeting to begin at 10:00 AM on that day.
On August 17, 2017, Judge Kundan Kumai of the City Sessions Court had discharged Gurung, the prime accused in the case. The counsel for Gurung had claimed that he was in Kalimpong on the day of Tamang’s death and that the CBI could not provide any proof of his involvement. This order was challenged by Bharati Tamang, wife of the slain leader, in the Calcutta High Court immediately. In 2018, the CBI also challenged the order discharging Gurung.
In June 2024, the Calcutta High Court directed the CBI to include the name of Gurung in the chargesheet of the All India Gorkha League president Madan Tamang. Justice Subhendu Samanta, Calcutta High Court, in his order stated: “The alleged portion of the impugned order passed by the learned Chief Judge, City Sessions Court, through which he discharged Bimal Gurung from this case, is hereby set aside. The charge of this case is required to be framed against Bimal Gurung with other accused persons.”
Gurung, in turn, challenged this order in the Supreme Court. In May 2025, Justice Bela Trivedi upheld the High Court order and ordered Gurung to face trial.
Out of 54 accused in the case, two have been declared fugitives, five are dead, and one Puran Rai is in custody for having jumped bail. He will be facing a custody trial. Rai was arrested from Bangalore by the CBI in February this year.
On October 13, 2013, the Supreme Court had ordered the transfer of the case from the Darjeeling Court to the City Sessions Court based on a petition by Tamang’s widow, who had claimed that the GJM leaders are very influential people; hence they could intimidate the witnesses.
