Sikkim Police arrests two Gorkha Seva Sena members in Darjeeling & Kalimpong

GANGTOK, : Sikkim Police on Saturday arrested Bikram Adi Rai at Darjeeling and Subash Mani Singh at Kalimpong following an FIR against them at Gangtok Sadar police station for allegedly committing serious offences against the State.

Bikram Adi Rai (42), a resident of Sonada, was arrested with assistance of Darjeeling Sadar police while Kalimpong-resident Subash Mani Singh (49) was arrested by another team with assistance from Kalimpong Sadar police.

A case under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanita 2023 has been registered against the duo, both members of Gorkha Seva Sena, Darjeeling. The third accused from Gorkha Seva Sena named in the FIR lodged by the Home department is Noel Sharma, a resident of Sikkim.

At Kalimpong, Subash Mani told the local media that Gorkha Seva Sena is fighting a Constitutional battle and he was being arrested by Sikkim Police in connection for the organisation’s Constitutional demand.

On Friday, the Home department had lodged the FIR against the three Gorkha Seva members accusing them of unauthorized use of the official Sikkim’s Statehood Golden Jubilee logo for their organisation’s proposed civic dialogue on Darjeeling-Sikkim unification scheduled later this month at Kalimpong. It was also alleged the three Gorkha Seva Sena members misrepresented their RTI discussions with the Home department authorities before the media.

The FIR states that such conduct constitutes a criminal conspiracy and is clear violation of various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 (BNS) including acts endangering sovereignty, unity and integrity of India; promotion of enmity between groups which may lead to disruption of public tranquillity; and forgery for the purpose of harming reputation or misleading the public.

Ruling SKM’s spokesperson Bikash Basnet has welcomed the FIR registration against the three Gorkha Seva Sena members, stating that this action protects the law & order, social harmony, and identity of Sikkim.

“These individuals have misused the official Sikkim Statehood Golden Jubilee logo and theme for their unacceptable and irrational ‘Darjeeling-Sikkim unification’ programme. Similarly, Subash Mani Singh had attended the RTI appeal hearing at the Home department but later he addressed a press meet where he gave a fake narrative of the hearing in order to misguide the people,” said the SKM spokesperson in a media statement.

Basnet said such acts from the three accused persons are a grave assault on Sikkim’s Constitutional prestige and cultural identity. “Sikkim and Darjeeling shared brotherhood ties for generations but a few selfish individuals have tried to vitiate this relationship which we strongly condemn. People of Sikkim have never supported the unrealistic idea of ‘Darjeeling-Sikkim merger’, but have always been emotionally supporting the Gorkhaland demand,” he said.

Basnet asserted that the present SKM government, under Chief Minister PS Golay’s leadership, will go to any extent to protect the dignity and special rights of Sikkim.