A Karnataka court has sent a warrant asking suspected Maoist leader Roopesh to be produced before the Penampet Court in Kodagu District on Monday (May 18). However, it is learnt that till late on Sunday evening he was not picked from the Coimbatore Central Prison by the Karnataka police.
Courts in Karnataka and Kerala have sent prisoner transit warrants to the Coimbatore Central Prison asking Roopesh be produced before them in connection with alleged involvement in cases in those States. These warrants have been sent immediately after Tamil Nadu police took custody of him and his four companions for 10 days, till Friday.
A Kannur Court in Kerala has also sent a warrant asking Roopesh to be produced before it on Wednesday (May 20). Roopesh and his wife Shyna were among five persons who were arrested by ‘Q’ Branch Police at an eatery at Karumathampatty on May 4.
Counsel of the arrested persons S. Balamurugan told The Hindu that police from the respective States should ensure safety of Roopesh as he and the others have raised the issue of threat to their lives from Kerala and Karnataka Police – when they were produced before the Coimbatore Court on Friday.
Claims of confession denied
The lawyer also denied claims that the Maoist had confessed to their role in any attacks, recalling that the five of them had mentioned this in the court. Counsel also said that it would be unfair on the part of the police to implicate all the unsolved cases on Roopesh and his companions.
Counsel for the suspected Maoist leaders said police from the respective States should ensure their safety as they had raised the issue of threat to their lives
