Pokhara, April 18

Pokhara-based journalist Arjun Giri, who faces a cyber crime charge over a news report that he carried in his news media outlet, has been released on normal date.

Arrested about four days ago, Giri was released following the order of a single bench of Kathmandu District Court judge Ambarraj Poudel today. Earlier, Giri was nabbed by Central Investigation Bureau of Nepal Police after an FIR was filed against him by Bipendraraj Batas of Pokhara.

Batas had sued Giri, the editor of Tandav Weekly and Tandav News.Com, over a news report on a fraud linking it to Batas in the latter’s news media. Though the pressman was released on Monday itself in the presence of the central committee of Federation of Nepali Journalists, he was arrested again the next day and produced at the court for an extension of remand.

On Tuesday, the Kathmandu-based court had extended Giri’s remand by three days.

Today, before Giri was released, mediapersons in Kaski, Tanahun and Dhankuta held sit-ins in front of the respective district administration office seeking unconditional release of the arrested journalist.