Thrissur: After spending more than a decade in prison, Maoist leader Roopesh has been released after a court in Sivaganga granted him bail, paving the way for his freedom.

He walks free after 11 years in jail, with the latest bail coming in yet another case against him. Roopesh had been facing a total of 43 cases under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), with proceedings in over 15 of them already closed.

Speaking after his release, Roopesh said the government treats anyone identified as a Maoist leader as a target to be hunted down. He added that he still finds it hard to believe he has finally been released.

He also expressed surprise at not being granted permission to publish his book, noting that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had been portrayed positively in it.

Roopesh further said that even if leaders like M. A. Baby and Binoy Viswam wanted the book to be published, the system seemed to have a different intention.

Roopesh was arrested years ago in Karumathampatti, Tamil Nadu, along with his wife Shyna and others. While those arrested along with him were later released, Roopesh remained in custody due to multiple pending cases.