Melamchi, February 12:

A relative of a ‘murdered’ woman has accused the police and a government attorney of ignoring a murder case and trying to protect the accused.

Rukmani Karki, the eldest sister of Januka Puri, who was allegedly murdered by her husband, has alleged that a probe team of the area police office, Melamchi, and assistant district attorney Madhav Prasad Ghimire are trying to prove the accused, Jagat Bahadur Puri, innocent and are not co-operating with her.

Karki said police have been telling her that the case cannot move ahead though she has filed a PIL.

Karki said she sought the help of the police and locals in locating her missing sister on January 13, only to find Januka’s dead body on a farm near her house.

“I have enough reasons to not trust police as they freed Jagat Puri three days after his arrest,” Karki said. “Earlier, I had to take the help of a journalist in lodging a plaint with the police as the latter refused to register the same,” she said, adding that the police sought Rs 5,000 for the registration. “ASI Khamba Dhoj Karki never cooperated with me.”

Jagat Puri had told the police that his wife died on November 23 after a six/seven-month illness and that he himself buried her body after keeping it in the house for 12 days. Puri’s neighbour Kanchhi Tamang said she has never spoken to the accused and that she was unaware of Januka’s illness and death.

Ghimire said he cannot proceed with the case due to lack of proof. He added that he had taken the statement of the accused in the presence of human rights activists.

Police inspector Roshan Kumar Sijapati said Khadka has taken the case file “somewhere” and that the ASI is currently on duty accompanying a citizenship distribution team in Yangpaldhap VDC.

“This seems to me a murder case. However, we are yet to ascertain the same. Legal action will be taken if any foul play is found during probe,” Sijapati said.