NBW pending against Speaker for two decades

The NBW was last issued on March 23 by the court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (Railway) Sanjay Singh in Gonda. “On April 27,the GRP informed the court that Pandey could not be arrested as he is holding the post of Vidhan Sabha Speaker,” said Assistant Public Prosecutor (APO) Maya Ram Chowdhary.

This is Pandey’s second term as Speaker. In 2006,too,he was Speaker,and the state goverment had then moved for withdrawal of the case. But the court rejected the request on the ground that consent of the Union government was required because the matter involved violation of the Railway Act.

The case dates back to 1986 when a group staged a protest on the railway track against the closure of a sugar factory located in Walterganj area in Basti. They stopped a train and pelted stones. The police reportedly used tear gas and lathis to disperse the crowd.

An FIR was lodged against Pandey,then a Lok Dal MLA,and others under various sections of IPC and the Railway Act at the Walterganj police station. Later,the case was transferred to the Government Railway Police Station in Basti.

After investigation,the railway police filed a chargesheet in October 1986 against 35 persons,including Pandey. None was arrested.

Summons and bailable warrants sent to Pandey’s residence at Itwa were returned unserved. In 1991,the court issued non-bailable warrants for the first time,and then regularly renewed these.