Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, January 31:

The Supreme Court today drew the attention of the Chief of Army Staff (CoAS), Pyar Jung Thapa, to the detention of former vice-president of the Maoist-affiliated All Nepal National Independent Student Union-Revolutionary (ANNISU-R), Krishna Bahadur KC. The apex court directed the CoAS to furnish a written statement explaining why the RNA told the apex court that KC is not being held in the army barracks despite the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) claims that KC is under the RNA’s detention.

Following a hearing today, a division bench of justices Min Bahadur Rayamajhi and Balram KC directed the CoAS to state where exactly KC is. The NHRC had claimed that KC is under illegal detention at the Bhairavnath Battalion barracks of the RNA and he had not been produced before a court of law. However, the legal unit chief of the RNA, Brigadier General BA Kumar Sharma, had told the apex court that KC was not under their detention. The apex court also directed the NHRC to produce a copy of its statement that made such claims.

Advocate Satishkrishna Kharel had pleaded on behalf of KC.

KC’s wife, Durga, today filed another petition seeking his immediate release. According to Durga, KC was held along with journalist Sitaram Baral from Koteshwor, but the army did not allow her to meet him. After being released, Baral had stated before the apex court that KC had been held along with him. “Though he was detained at the Bhairavnath battalion till January 16, he has now been shifted to the Yudda Bhairav Battalion,” Durga said.

“He sent letters to me during his detention at Bhairavnath barracks,” she said, adding: “He told me to wait and not worry.” According to her, KC made no mention of any form of torture in his letters. Brigadier General Sharma said they will make clarifications on the issue soon. “We don’t know about NHRC claims, but KC is not under our detention,” he said.

‘No notice received’:

Kathmandu: Although the NHRC has submitted its recommendations to PM Sher Bahadur Deuba seeking legal procedures concerning the illegal detention of Krishna KC, the Home Ministry and the Army said they have not received the notification. “We have not received any formal notification from the NHRC or the PMO,” said Gopendra Bahadur Pandey, Home ministry spokesman. RNA legal unit chief BA Kumar Sharma said they will look into the matter once they receive a notification. — HNS