Monday, October 17, 2005

Bring detainee and explain, SC orders govt

Kathmandu, Oct16-The Supreme Court (SC) today ordered the Home Ministry and government authorities to produce Bimal Raj Giri, a detainee, before the apex court on Wednesday to look into the legality of Giri’s detention.

Responding to a habeas corpus petition, a single bench of justice Ramkumar Prasad Shaha issued the order. The bench directed the District Police Office, Kavrepalanchowk, and the Chief District Officer, Shambhu Koirala, to produce Giri before the Supreme Court on Wednesday. Giri has been in police detention in Kabhreplanchock district after his arrest three months ago from Dolalghat but no specific charges have been levelled against him.

The order came following today’s initial hearing on the petition. The bench has also directed the concerned authorities to submit their explanations within three days as to why Giri is being held.Earlier today, Bimal’s brother-in-law, Amrit Kumar Puri, had filed a habeas corpus petition before the apex court.

The petition has accused the government authorities of lying before the SC when the apex court heard a separate habeas corpus petition against Giri’s detention, which was filed three months ago. “During the hearing on October 7, the authorities told the SC that they had released Giri. But immediately after his release, he was re-arrested by the police under the direction of Chief District Officer Shambhu Koirala,” the petition states. Giri was arrested from Dolalghat bazaar three months ago without any specific charge and later freed on October 7 after SC hearings on the legality of his detention.

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