Kathmandu, July 27:

The high-level investigation commission headed by former Supreme Court judge Krishna Jung Rayamajhi today summoned the chief of Nepali Army, General Pyar Jung Thapa and five other high-ranking officials, along with Thapa’s second-in-commend Rukmagat Katual to clarify their role in killing and suppressing people during Jana Andolan-II.

The panel summoned Katual, Kathmandu Valley Chief Dipak Bikram Rana, General of the Defence Council Kul Bahadur Khadka, General Kiran Shumsher Thapa and Charali-based Jhapa Barrack Chief Suresh Kumar Karki to record their statements.

Spokesperson for the Rayamajhi Panel, Dilli Raman Acharya, said the commission is set to grill COAS Thapa on Sunday; Katual and Rana on Monday and Khadka, Thapa and Karki on Tuesday.

The security agencies chiefs claimed they had no option but to follow orders from the unified command. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court (SC) will conduct a hearing on Sunday whether or not to suspend the army chief. The SC will do so in response to a writ plea filed by a group of lawyers.

In another development, a writ plea was filed at the SC today demanding action against army chief Thapa and generals Raju Basnet, Bibek Bista, Indibur Rana and Dilip Rayamajhi for torturing and killing Maoist detainees kept in army detention centres.

The petitioners claimed whereabouts of 49 Maoists detainees status is unknown. The PMO, Home Ministry, Defence Ministry, Army Chief, National Human Rights Commission and Kathmandu District Administration Office have been made defendants in the petition.