Dhangadi, March 19

Sacked superintendent of police Dilliraj Bista, accused of destroying evidence and torture while investigating the rape and murder of 13-year-old Nirmala Panta of Bhimdatta Municipality, surrendered to Kanchanpur District Court today.

Bista presented himself before the district court at 10:00am and his statement was recorded. Hearing on his remand will take place tomorrow, Court Registrar Hari Krishna Shrestha told THT.

Bista has been kept in police custody and will be produced before the court tomorrow for hearing on his remand.

The district court had directed police to arrest Bista and suspended deputy superintendent of police Angur GC and present them before it.

Six of the eight police personnel accused of destroying evidence in the rape and murder case were presented before the court on February 14. They were bailed out on Thursday. The suspended DSP has yet to appear before the court.

DSP Gyan Bahadur Sethi and Inspector Ekendra Khadka were freed after furnishing a bail amount of Rs 9 lakh each. Inspector Jagadish Bhatta was bailed out for Rs 4 lakh, while sub-inspectors Hari Singh Dhami and Ram Singh Dhami were bailed out for Rs 3.5 lakh and Rs 3 lakh, respectively. Constable Chandani Saud was freed after she furnished bail of Rs 2 lakh.

On December 18, Nirmala Panta’s mother Durga Devi had filed an FIR against the eight cops, accusing them of destroying evidence in the case of her daughter’s rape and murder.

Acting on the FIR, the Office of District Attorney moved the court on March 7 against the eight accused, charging them with tampering evidence, illegal detention and torture while probing the rape and murder of Nirmala, who was killed on July 26.

Police had presented Dilip Singh Bista as the main suspect in the case. Dilip’s elder brother Khadga Bista filed a case against four cops, including Bista, for torturing his brother in police custody.