Kathmandu, February 21:

Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communication, Kumar Prasad Paudel and Under Secretary, Ambar Raj Paudel, today told the Supreme Court that they had no intention of disrespecting the court when they ordered barring Radio Sagarmatha to air BBC news even after the SC’s order.

The two officials claimed they had not received the SC stay order against the government ban on airing news from FM radios, before they barred Radio Sagarmatha from airing BBC Nepali Service news.

The two had attended the court responding to its order to attend in person to face a contempt of court case filed against the duo, and the then Minister for Communication and Informations, Tanka Dhakal.

Advocate Ananda Shantoshi Rai had filed the case, after they directed Radio Sagarmatha not to air BBC Nepali Service even after the SC’s order to allow radio stations to air news.

The then information minister, Dhakal, who is now the Minister for Local Development, however, is yet to attend the court despite its order to attend the court in person within 15 days.