Kathmandu, January 19

The Patan Appellate Court had slapped a five-year jail term on Rajib Gurung alias Deepak Manange five years ago for attempted murder, but it remains a mystery why the judgment was not executed all these years.

Spokesperson for the Supreme Court Narayan Prasad Panthi said as per court documents the Patan Appellate Court had sent a copy of Gurung’s conviction verdict, but the Kathmandu District Court did not maintain the record.

An officer at Kathmandu District Court said he was bound by citizen’s right to privacy clause not to disclose sentencing record of any individual to an unrelated person.

“As far as I know, we have not received a copy of Patan Appellate Court’s verdict, but since the SC Spokesperson has claimed that Patan Appellate Court had sent a copy of the verdict to our court we will have to find it. There are hundreds of records and it will take some time to find the record,” he added. He said Kathmandu District Court followed the same rule that other courts across the country followed to maintain sentencing records after the final verdict.

“Whenever we receive a copy of a verdict by relevant court, we certify it and keep in our record,” he said, adding, “Details of the punishment imposed on Gurung could be released if sought as per the law.’

Gurung contested the recently held provincial assembly seat of Province 4 from Manang and nobody challenged his candidacy. He won the election.

The government had filed a case of attempted murder against 11 persons including Rajib Gurung, Ganesh Lama, Umesh Lama, Rewat Karki and Ramesh Sunuwar. Gurung was awarded a two-year jail term by the Kathmandu District Court under hurt/beating chapter of General Code which was struck down by the Patan Appellate Court. The Patan Appellate Court had imposed a five-year jail term on Gurung which became final verdict as the latter did not challenge it within the stipulated deadline.

Cases against six other defendants are pending.

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