Karki defends contempt of court charges

Kathmandu, November 15

Suspended Chief of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority Lok Man Singh Karki today furnished a written clarification to the Supreme Court regarding his alleged involvement in the obstruction of delivery of the apex court’s summons to him.

A single bench of Justice Ananda Mohan Bhattarai had summoned Karki on November 8, asking him to present himself before the Supreme Court within seven days with a written clarification on why he obstructed a Supreme Court employee from pasting summons at his residence in Baneshwor.

In his written clarification, Karki claimed that he was not involved in the obstruction, as he was abroad when the apex court sent its staffer to attach the summons at his residence.

Supreme Court Assistant Spokesperson Bishworaj Paudel told THT that the suspended chief of the anti-graft body furnished a six-page clarification, in which he claimed that all the allegations made against him were baseless and biased.

He reminded the SC that he was not only a former chief secretary as mentioned in the complaint, but also the incumbent chief of a constitutional body and was appointed by the president for six years to the post.

Karki also wondered why the SC sent employees to his house where he had not been residing for the last three years.

He claimed that the SC knew where he lived but didn’t attach summons there. Karki said he was not obliged to answer the complaints filed in the Parliament to the court, as they fell under the jurisdiction of the House.

He claimed that the complainant was biased against him and was playing to the media.

Karki has been accused of obstructing delivery of the Supreme Court summons related to review of his eligibility and appointment to the CIAA.

Advocate Om Prakash Aryal, who has filed the petition against Karki, said the clarification furnished by the suspended CIAA chief itself proved his involvement in the obstruction.

“Those involved in the obstruction had asked court’s employees to paste the summons at Karki’s official residence. Karki too said that the court should send its employees at his official residence,” Aryal argued.

Advocate Aryal has sought 15-day imprisonment or fine of Rs 1,000 or both as per Section 111 of Muluki Ain’s court proceedings chapter against the accused.

Karki was suspended from CIAA after an impeachment motion against him was registered at the Parliament on October 19.