Kalyan Rao released from jail

Hyderabad, Mar 27 (UNI) The president of the Revolutionary Writers' Association, Virasam, G Kalyana Rao, was today released from the Chanchalguda Central Prison following bail granted to him in various cases by different courts.

Mr Rao, who played a key role in bringing the People's War (which later became CPI (Maoist)) to peace talks with the state government, was incarcerated for over seven and a half months in connection with eight cases.

While the court struck down a case under the Public Security Act after the ban imposed by the government was lifted, he was also discharged in another case pertaining to holding of virasam conclave in his native village Alakurapadu in Prakasham district in 2000.

However he continues to face charges in the Maoist attack on the SP of Prakasham district, another case in Mudigubba in Anantapur district, two cases pertaining to attacks on Chilakaluripet and Achampet police stations.

The other case pertains to Balanagar in Jedcharla mandal in Mahabubnagar district.

The government banned Virasam on August 17 after Congress MLA C Narsi Reddy was killed by the Maoists on August 15, 2005.

The ban was lifted on November 17, 2005 after several human and peoples' rights organisations represented to the government that Virasam was only an organisation of writers and intellectuals and not of insurgents.

Following the lifting of the ban, the case registered against Kalyan Rao under the Public Security Act was struck down.

Vara Vara Rao another activist of the Virasam on whom same cases were registered is still in the Chanchalguda Jail. Kalyan Rao said he was likely to be released on bail in the next two three days.

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