BHAKTAPUR: Secretaries of 16 village development committees in the district on Sunday halted all the works in their office, demanding the unconditional release of secretary of Sipadole VDC.

Earlier, the police arrested Ram Prasad Pokharel, secretary of Sipadole VDC, for interrogation, accusing him of verifying a village plot as the one in the city area.

A land broker had sold the plot at Ashapuri in Sipadole by preparing a fake land ownership and plot number to Bishnu Maya Karki of Govindapur VDC-2 in Morang.

Ganesh Prasad Timilsina, president of VDC Secretary Right Protection Centre, today said they were forced to launch protest because one of their innocent friends was arrested without reason. He also said the VDC secretaries would not return back to their offices unless the police releases their friend who is in custody.

“I was not involved in the verification of that plot. The brokers might have made the fake letter pad of the VDC and forged my signature to cheat the buyer,” Pokharel said, adding, “I am ready to face punishment if proven guilty.”

The police said they had sent the signature to Nepal Academy of Science and Technology for verification.