Kathmandu, August 13

The Supreme Court today ordered the government to produce the spokesperson of the Netra Bikram Chand led-Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) Khadga Bahadur BK (Prakanda) before it within the next 48 hours.

The apex court also ordered the government to produce two other persons,  Harichandra Acharya and Mana Bahadur Shrestha, who were arrested along with BK by Kathmandu police a few days ago on the charge of plotting acts of violence and extortion during the local and provincial elections held last year.

The arrested had filed a habeas corpus writ at the Supreme Court yesterday seeking their release from police custody.

The order was passed by a single bench of Acting Chief Justice Om Prakash Mishra.

The apex court also ordered the government to submit its written reply in the case.

Arguing that their arrests were illegal, the petitioners had urged the court to release them on general court date. BK is a former minister of woman, children and social welfare.