KATHMANDU: The case of Tika Bista, a journalist from Rukum working for Rajdhani daily, took a new twist as the UCPN-Maoist on Friday accused UML cadres of being involved in assaulting her on December 8.

A report released after an investigation by a five member team led by Megh Bahadur Shrestha with Jhaku Prasad Gharti, Ganesh KC, Lumbini Gautam and Yagya Bahadur Pandey as members reached the conclusion that the UML had plotted the entire incident in such a way that the Maoists would be blamed for the incident. The incident has been given political overtones, the report says."The incident has been designed and aimed at taking political revenge and tarnishing the Maoists’ image,” the report states.

Speaking at the programme, Janardan Sharma 'Prabhakar', polit bureau member of UCPN-Maoist, said, "The real culprits are within the CPN-UML but the incident has been planned in such a way that they could blame our party."

He said, "We had asked that an all party investigation committee be formed during the all party meeting to investigate into Tika's case but the CPN-UML did not agree to this proposal."

He challenged the government to immediately form a high-level investigation committee and reveal the truth to book the culprits. "If such committee found the involvement of our cadres, we are ready to take stern action," he added.

He also alleged that the study report recently published by the Federation of Nepali Journalists was also biased and guided by the CPN-UML. "The conclusion of the report publicised by FNJ media mission has been prepared under political pressure rather than following their norms honestly," he reiterated.

Meanwhile, the cabinet on Thursday decided to provide Rs 3 lakhs to Bista to cover her medical expenses.

Similarly, another report made public today by a different investigation team on the clashes between the Youth Force affiliated to CPN-UML and Young Communist League affiliated to UCPN-Maoist on December 8 in Salyan also stated that the attack was planned and was an outcome of the criminal mentality of CPN-UML.

According to Ramesh Koirala, in-charge of UCPN-Maoist, Salyan, the first attack was made by CPN-UML on UCPN-Maoist.

Koirala said, "Luhaping incident of Salyan was a deliberate plan of the government to repeat Dundejhari incident."