Kathmandu, July 4

The Judicial Council today slapped a fine of Rs 5,000 on 29 judges - 21 of high courts and 10 of district courts — for failing to submit their property details within the stipulated deadline. The JC also ordered those judges to submit their property details as soon as possible, said Minister of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Sher Bahadur Tamang.

The JC also ordered a probe against Kathmandu District Court Judge Amrit Bahadur Basnet, who had ordered to release a manpower operator, Ram Shrestha, accused of cheating job aspirants of Rs 2.86 billion, on a bail of Rs 1 million.

JC members Ram Prasad Sitaula and Padam Prasad Baidik were told to investigate Judge Basnet. Minister Tamang said the JC would also investigate other verdicts passed by Judge Basnet.

According to Tamang, three High Court judges working on Rajbiraj Bench — Mohan Bahadur Karki, Salhuddin Akhtar Sidiqui and Nasrullah Ansari — were transferred to other offices.  Recently local lawyers had protested against the judges and even boycotted benches accusing judges of passing wrong verdicts.