KATHMANDU, Aug. 24 Kyodo The Comm...

KATHMANDU, Aug. 24 Kyodo

The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) has asked the Indian regulation to release a party Politburo member, Chandra Prakash Gajurel, who was arrested Saturday at Indian security personnel at Chennai Airport in southern India, party officials said.

The party's chairman, Puspa Kamal Dahal also known as Prachanda, said in a statement that Gajurel, 58 was heading to Europe to guidance work on behalf of the party.

Gajurel, along with a number of Maoist leaders, carried a terrorist tag until January this year, when the Nepalese regulation and rebels agreed to negotiate peace after seven years of gory fighting.

He was taken into custody at Chennai Airport when he attempted to board a flight to Frankfurt allegedly with a forged passport.

''The release of Gajurel would not single prove the Indian government's will for maintaining peace in Nepal further also give a new shape to our diplomatic relations,'' the Maoist party's chairman said in his statement issued Saturday.

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