Kathmandu, December 24

Metropolitan Police Range, Kathmandu, has written to some online news portals, asking them to disclose from whom they got the alleged genuine and fake copies of performance appraisal report of former DIG Nawa Raj Silwal for publication.

The letter addressed to online media says the Crime Investigation and Action Section of MPR wanted to know who leaked the classified information, which is treated as highly confidential by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Public Service Commission and Nepal Police Headquarters.

MPR is currently investigating into the ‘fake performance appraisal report’ Silwal allegedly submitted to the Supreme Court challenging the appointment of Prakash Aryal as inspector general of police. Silwal claimed to have secured higher marks than his competitors for the post. Some online media had published scanned copy of the performance appraisal report when the case was sub judice at the court.

The SC delivered the verdict in favour of Aryal ruling that he, not Silwal, had secured the highest marks. Officials said investigation was also necessary to establish why the performance appraisal report of Silwal did not match the document that was with the PSC.

Meanwhile, Federation of Nepali Journalists and Press Chautari Nepal have condemned the MPR’s move to order media houses to disclose the source of the news, dubbing it an attempt to curtail press freedom.

Earlier, the SC had prepared full texts of the verdicts delivered on the cases filed by former DIG Silwal in which it asked the concerned bodies to investigate who were responsible for tampering with his performance appraisal report.

As per the SC’s order, MPR initiated investigation into the case as  Nepal Police Headquarters wrote a letter asking it to probe who was responsible for tampering with Silwal’s performance appraisal. Silwal was recently elected member of the Parliament from Lalitpur-1 parliamentary constituency on CPN-UML ticket.

A police source said Silwal would be arrested after necessary investigation into the case and presented before the Kathmandu District Court within 24 hours of the arrest. Silwal will be automatically suspended from the post of lawmaker if a case is filed against him at the court.