KATHMANDU: Civil society leaders and human rights defenders today urged the government to produce Major Niranjan Basnet before the Kavre District

Court to face Maina Sunar murder charge.

“We strongly demand the authorities to produce Basnet, who is an absconding suspect, in court without further delay,” a dozen of rights activists demanded in a joint press release.

Sushil Pyakurel, Subodh Pyakurel, Rameshwor Upadhyay, Kanak Mani Dixit, Raman Kumar Shrestha, Dharmendra Jha, among others, called to respect the court order.

“At a time when the police were supposed to arrest the person and produce him in the court as per the court ruling, the Nepali Army’s refusal to hand over Major Basnet to court clearly contradicts with the assumption of independent judiciary”, read the press statement. “This is a blatant contempt of court, on the one hand, and a mockery of the rule of law and democratic system, on the other.”

It appears that the United Nations returned Basnet from the Peacekeeping Mission from Chad, as the court had issued arrest warrant against him for his alleged involvement in the murder case, to facilitate his prosecution here.

They also called for legal action against other perpetrators, including Amit Pun, Sunil Adhikari and Babi Khatri.