KATHMANDU: A month after Chief Justice Min Bahadur Rayamajhi issued circulars to the subordinate courts to punish

hostile witnesses, the Special Court, Kathmandu, and the Lalitpur District Court have punished three witnesses for turning hostile.

Interestingly, one of them is a government officer. He has been fined Rs 200 for changing his statement before the Special Court in a graft case.

Bidur Prasad Bhattarai, section officer at the District Administration Office, Kathmandu, was punished

for changing his statement in the case against Rajendra Budhathoki and Laxman Prasad Bhattarai.

A three-member panel of Justices Gauri Bahadur Karki, Bhola Prasad Kharel and Om Prakash Mishra today

convicted the two accused in the bribery case and

also punished the hostile witnesses. The bench also cancelled the licence of clerk Shyam Das.

Meanwhile, Lalitpur District Court yesterday censured two witnesses — Sapta Raj and Rajendra Shrestha — with a fine of Rs 500 each for changing their statement before the court.

A single bench of Judge Yagya Prasad Basyal slapped the fine on the duo.