Preparations for arrest of former Prime Minister and former Home Minister for not appearing for statement

Kathmandu. The Judicial Commission constituted to investigate the excessive police use of force during the Zenji movement is preparing to arrest and present the then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and the then Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak in view of their non-appearance for their statement.

With only two weeks remaining in the term of this commission, the work of the statement has not been completed yet. After taking the statements of the security personnel and administrative officers deployed in the field, the Commission is now in the process of taking statements at the political level.

According to Commission spokesperson Vigyanraj Sharma, the work of taking statements from about 150 people has been completed. Now the statements of former Prime Minister Oli, former Home Minister Lekhtar, then Home Secretary Gokarnamani Duwadi, then Commander-in-Chief Ashokraj Sigdel and Nepal Police Chief IGP Danbahadur Karki are yet to be taken.

Based on the recommendation of the Commission, former Prime Minister Oli and former Home Minister Lekhtar have been banned from traveling abroad and leaving Kathmandu without permission. Oli has already announced not to give any statement terming the commission as unconstitutional.

Spokesperson Sharma says that there should not be any kind of doubt in taking the statement. If he does not come, the legal process will start. The commission will request the government to produce them legally.

Home Minister Omprakash Aryal has clarified that if the Commission makes a written request, the government will send the police and make them present. The Home Minister said, “The law is the same for everyone. It is expected that they will obey; if they do not obey, the law will be implemented.”

According to Investigation Commission spokesperson Sharma, his foreign travel has been banned because it is mandatory to take his statement. The Commission has decided to take the statement as soon as possible as per procedural procedure. He also informed that even the Chief Secretary, General Secretary of Parliament and heads of security bodies have come to the Commission and given statements.

Here, AML Deputy General Secretary Pradeep Gyawali said that “The Commission itself is invalid, hence the question of going before it for the statement of former Prime Minister Oli does not arise. We have already raised serious questions on its impartiality and have declared it unacceptable.”

The Commission took the statement of Armed Police Inspector General Raju Aryal on Tuesday. They will be called again when required. Earlier, the Commission had also expressed the possibility of recalling former police chief Chandrakuber Khapung.