• CPN M cadres arrested for smearing Karki’s face with soot

Kathmandu, December 22

Suspended chief of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority Lokman Singh Karki was smeared with soot today on the Supreme Court premises when he went there for hearing of cases filed against him.

Karki had to appear in the court, as he was denied permission to appoint an attorney to represent him in the case filed against him for allegedly obstructing court officials from serving a court notice at his residence in Kathmandu.

According to eye witnesses, when Karki was sitting in a room in the SC where he was to sign the slip of court appearance date, two persons smeared Karki’s face with soot and ran out of the chamber. Police personnel deployed at the SC chased and arrested them.

Police identified them as Netra Bikram Chand-led CPN Maoist cadres Prakash Shahi of Dang and Chandra Bahadur Budha of Rukum district.

Co-spokesperson for Nepal Police SSP Thakur Prasad Gyawali told THT that police were not allowed to intervene in the vicinity of the court.  He added that Nepal Police sent police personnel to the Supreme Court only if sought by the SC administration. “Outside patrol or plainclothes police cannot keep vigil on the court premises,” he said and added that Nepal Police was ready to provide additional police personnel if the SC so demanded.

Registrar of the SC Srikant Paudel told THT that maintaining security on the court premises was the concern of everybody who was present there, including service seekers, employees, security personnel and journalists. He said the court was investigating the matter. He, however, denied that court administration had erred in maintaining security in and around the court premises. “We had told the security personnel to maintain security on the court premises,” he added.

President of Nepal Bar Association Sher Bahadur KC said the registrar of the court and police personnel deployed in the court were mainly responsible for maintaining security on the court premises.

A total of 212 judicial police led by a superintendent of police have been deployed in the SC. The arrested cadres of Chand-led party will face indictment under Public Offence Act.

RPP Chair Kamal Thapa condemned the attack on Karki. Thapa said the rule of law and dignified behaviour were the basic norms of democracy.

Karki claims he faces baseless accusations

Kathmandu, December 22

Suspended chief of the  Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority  Lokman Singh Karki today claimed that accusations made against him were baseless.

Karki faces impeachment motion in the Parliament, while some cases against him are being reviewed by the Supreme Court.

In his nearly 1,900-word appeal published in both English and Nepali languages on his personal website, Karki claimed, “The present day allegations and conspiracies against me have clearly been influenced and guided by a group of people whose only motive is to defame and demoralise me.”

He added, “Despite all this I have always tried to deliver my best and shall maintain my zeal and enthusiasm for the betterment of my motherland.”

He questioned the integrity of the parties filing the impeachment motion against him. “More than 40 members of the Parliament who have signed the document to initiate the impeachment process did not know the document they were signing would be used for initiating the impeachment process,” he claimed. They have complained to CPN-Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal that their signatures were misused, adding that they had signed the document demanding electricity in their constituencies.

He wondered why the Parliament was in such a hurry to begin impeachment proceeding against him when he still had two-and-a half years to serve.

“The accusations against me are biased, unrealistic and illusive,” he said, alleging that the impeachment proceeding was designed and influenced by “a group of people after investigation was started against them.”

Karki said he faced many challenges and obstructions since his appointment to the CIAA, but his primary focus had always been to establish a corruption-free society where good governance prevailed and democratic values were respected.

He said the anti-corruption watchdog  was going to initiate investigation against more than 50 top-level political leaders immediately after he returned from Canada. “As this information got out before my arrival, the impeachment process against me was initiated in haste,” he added.