Kathmandu, September 16:

Two separate habeas corpus petitions were filed at the Supreme Court today seeking the release of jailed former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and former minister Prakash Man Singh. Advocates Binod Karki and Sarvagya Naya jointly filed the petitions challenging sentences slapped by the Royal Commission for Corruption Control (RCCC) on Deuba and Singh. Deuba and Singh are serving two-year jail term each in connection with irregularities in the Melamchi Drinking Water Project. Stating that the formation of the RCCC itself was illegal, the petitioners said the illegal commission had no authority to send anyone to jail. The petitioners also sought the apex court’s order to the Cabinet Secretariat and the RCCC to produce the two leaders before the apex court within 24 hours and release them immediately. Registering the petitions, the apex court scheduled the hearing on the petitions on Sunday.

Stating that the actions taken by the illegal commission have no legitimacy, the petitioners asked the apex court to scrap it. The petitioners also claimed that the RCCC has been working

against the natural justice by investigating, prosecuting, and making decisions on cases.

“Since the royal commission spends money without getting it sanctioned by the parliament, it must be declared unconstitutional,” the petitioners said, demanding that the RCCC’s actions be nullified.