Kathmandu Sept 1-The Supreme Court today issued a show cause order asking the government to produce a written response within three days over the arrest of former minister Rajib Parajuli by the Royal Commission for Corruption Control (RCCC) on graft charges.
A single bench of Justice Khil Raj Regmi issued the show cause order on a habeas corpus writ filed by Prajuli’s lawyers on Tuesday. The bench also ruled the defendants the RCCC, the Cabinet Secretariat, the Attorney General and the Parliamentary Secretariat to submit their explanations within three days about the RCCC action against Parajuli. The bench also said the next hearing ion the case would be held on September 8.
The petitioners argued that the ‘unconstitutional’ royal commission had arrested him illegally, appealing to the apex court to quash the investigation process.
Advocates Subash Chandra Nembang, Shambhu Thapa, Hari Krishna Karki and Tika Ram Bhattarai pleaded on behalf of Parajuli. They claimed that the RCCC was formed unconstitutionally and it has no authority to take action against anyone on any charge. They also claimed that the formation of the RCCC was unconstitutional and it should be disbanded.
They also claimed that since the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) had already decided not to initiate action against Parajuli on corruption charges, it was illegal to prosecute him by the RCCC again. The RCCC has arrested Parajuli on charges of illegally amassing Rs 15.3 million during his tenure and imposed Rs 5.1 million as bail.
Accusing him of amassing property worth Rs.6 million through illegal means during his tenure as a minister, the RCCC had arrested Parajuli on Monday. He is in police custody as he declined to submit the bail amount.
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