The Rautahat District Court on Thursday annulled a habeas corpus petition filed at the court claiming that five Madhesi leaders were illegally arrested by the local administration. Earlier on September 14, five leaders of the agitating Madhes-based parties - Ram Kishor Yadav, Rameshwar Yadav, Sheikh Jamshaid, Ajay Gupta and Anil Singh - were arrested from Gaur municipality in the district. More than 20 lawyers have been advocating in support of the arrested leaders. Gauri Shankar Prasad Yadav, a local, had filed the petition at the district court on September 15 following the arrest of those leaders from a house of another local, Rajendra Patel. Yadav claimed that the police had arrested them illegally.

A large number of cadres and supporters had gathered near the court during Thursday's hearing while a considerable number of security personnel were mobilized around the area. The local administration had declared the court a prohibitory area keeping in view of possible violence after the hearing. Action against the arrested leaders will be taken as per the Public Offence Act, informed DSP Sudhir Raj Shahi of the District Police Office, Rautahat. 

Bipin Gautam