Kathmandu, January 4

The government has started investigation of three activists of the CK Raut-led Alliance for Independent Madhesh for holding a mock referendum on ‘Free Madhes’.

The prosecutors today took the three accused to the Special Court seeking police custody for investigation.

The court has given the police 10 days from January 2 when the accused were arrested to carry out their investigation, said Registrar of the Special Court Bhadrakali Pokharel.

According to a press release issued by the Alliance for Independent Madhes the three activists   were arrested from Siraha district on January 2, and brought to Kathmandu to file treason charges at the Special Court.

According to the AIM release, among the three accused are Sudipraj Kushwaha, 26, who had acted as the Election Officer and Chandeshwar Mahato, 60, who had acted as an international observer in the mock referendum held on December 26 in Siraha district, whereas Bishnudev Chaudhary, 35, is a central member of the Alliance for Independent Madhesh from the district.

AIM said recently it had been holding a mock referendum for ‘Free Madhes’, as a form of peaceful protest, in the southern districts.

The organisation accused the government of intensifying suppression against Madhesi activists through arbitrary arrests, torture and false charges.

It said Brajesh Singh and Sadam Ansari, arrested on November 24, were still in jail facing false charges.

AIM said in its release that Nepal Police had also arrested more than a hundred ‘Free Madhes’ activists on November 26.