Butwal, April 1:

The Unified CPN-Maoist today said it was ready to present the YCL cadre, Sujit, who has been accused of killing Rupandehi Youth Force leader Prachanda Thaiba before the court.

Member of the Awadh-Madhes State Committee of the Maoists Dayaram Neupane said, “He (Sujit) should go to the court to defend the case against him.”

Neupane informed that a meeting between Maoists, UML and YF leaders agreed to present Sujit before the court. He said the Maoists, however, rejected the UML call to suspend Sujit from the party and hand him over to the police.

Sujit is central member of YCL and the central committee alone can suspend him, if needed, he said. “We have asked the central committee to resolve the issue at the earliest,” he added.

Meanwhile, Sujit said he was in contact with the party and would follow the party’s decision. He said he was reluctant to appear before the police as he feared bias against him from the police. He also claimed innocence in Prachanda’s killing.

Joint coordinator of the probe panel formed by the Maoists Haki Kullaha Khan said they had begun investigation into the killing and the committee was not yet in a position to say whether Sujit was guilty or not.

The district bandh called by the UML continued today as well. UML cadres did not allow even the bicycles to ply. Normal life has been adversely affected due the continuous bandh since Friday. The UML also organised a peace rally in Butwal this morning.

Meanwhile, police said that they could not take forward the investigation into the case as it involved politics.

CPN-UML and Youth Force have withdrawn the bandh this evening. Lila Giri, Rupendehi secretary of UML, said they will change the form of the protest. Vehicles started plying after the bandh was called off.