Rautahat, April 17 District

Government Attorney Office, Makawanpur, citing lack of evidence, has decided that no case can be instigated against Rautahat’s Ishanath Municipality Mayor Santosh Mehata and his brother Mohan Mehata, whom police have accused of being involved in drug smuggling.

Police in Makawanpur had initiated action against Mayor Mehata and his brother Mohan after the police found 30.6 kg marijuana, packed in three bags, along with some Nepali and Indian currency from an ambulance operated by Ishanath Municipality during security check at Newarpani in Hetauda sub-metropolis-19 on January 24.

Police had also arrested ambulance driver Mahammad Khalid and another person named Ashok Kumar of the municipality and an Indian national from Bihar from the ambulance.

After police filed a chargesheet at the Makawanpur District Court, the court, on March 30, citing the provision in the criminal code, had ordered the police to arrest both the mayor and his brother, who is also the chairperson of the ambulance operation committee and Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Ishanath municipal committee chairperson.

Though the Investigation and Action Section of the District Police Office, Makawanpur, had sent the court’s order to a similar section of District Police Office, Rautahat, the accused had somehow managed to flee before they were arrested.

Over the same case on Friday, District Government Attorney Khadindraraj Katuwal of District Attorney Office, Makawanpur, ruled that no case could be filed against the Ishanath mayor and his brother citing lack of involvement of the duo in the charge-sheet filed by the police.

“Other three people arrested will, however, be sued,” said Katuwal. As to why the Makawanpur court then had issued arrested warrant earlier, Katuwal claimed that the arrest warrants were issued on the basis of a letter sent by Province Police Office, Janakpur. “But as the charge-sheet doesn’t contain any evidence incriminating the mayor and his brother, suing them is pointless,” he argued, adding they could, however, be sued if evidence were found.