SC order to produce Bagale before court in person

Kathmandu, March 26 - The Supreme Court (SC) has ordered government authorities to produce recently dismissed Sub-Inspector of Police, Hom Bahadur Bagale, in person before the court by 10 a.m. Tuesday March 28.

Acting upon a habeas corpus writ petition filed on behalf of Bagale, a single bench of SC Justice Rajendra Prasad Koirala issued the order Sunday afternoon, reported our correspondent Kiran Chapagain from court premises.

The apex court has also sought a written clarification from the defendants of the case- the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Police Headquarters and the Kathmandu District Police Office- explaining why Bagale has been detained.

Bagale was arrested by police from the premises of Kantipur Piblications on March 21 while briefing journalists about how he was "thrashed, plunged into dirty water and the top of his head forcibly shaved off at the police headquarters" before being handed the termination letter the same day.

Later, officials at the Kathmandu District Police Office (DPO) said Bagale was being investigated under the Public Offence Act for using "abusive language" against the police organisation.

Bagale has also claimed that he was arbitrarily arrested and tortured by his seniors in November 2002 and has been receiving countless of death threats since then. He filed two torture cases against some senior police officers while still in service. The cases are reportedly currently pending at the Patan Appellate Court and the SC separately.

On March 23, the Kathmandu District Court remanded Bagale into 10 days of judicial custody. Officials at the Kathmandu DPO have barred journalists and rights activists from meeting Bagale since he was arrested and kept there.