Nepal

Journalist Giri released on normal date

Journalist Giri released on normal date

By Himalayan News Service

Journalists staging a sit-in demanding the release of arrested journalist Arjun Giri in front of District Administration Office, Kaski, on Thursday, April 18, 2019. Photo: THT

Pokhara, April 18 Pokhara-based journalist Arjun Giri, who faces a cyber crime charge over a news report that he carried in his news media outlet, has been released on normal date. Arrested about four days ago, Giri was released following the order of a single bench of Kathmandu District Court judge Ambarraj Poudel today. Earlier, Giri was nabbed by Central Investigation Bureau of Nepal Police after an FIR was filed against him by Bipendraraj Batas of Pokhara. Batas had sued Giri, the editor of Tandav Weekly and Tandav News.Com, over a news report on a fraud linking it to Batas in the latter’s news media. Though the pressman was released on Monday itself in the presence of the central committee of Federation of Nepali Journalists, he was arrested again the next day and produced at the court for an extension of remand. On Tuesday, the Kathmandu-based court had extended Giri’s remand by three days. Today, before Giri was released, mediapersons in Kaski, Tanahun and Dhankuta held sit-ins in front of the respective district administration office seeking unconditional release of the arrested journalist.