SC orders govt to produce detained political activists

Kathmandu, April 13- The Supreme Court on wednesday ordered the Home Ministry and the Police Headquarters to produce 62 detained political leaders and party workers before it on April 17.

Following a hearing, a single bench of Justice Paramananda Jha issued the order. The bench sought a clarification from authorities as to why the leaders and cadres were being detained.
On April 7, the Nepal Bar Association and family members of the detained activists filed separate habeas corpus petitions at the Supreme Court, seeking their release.

The petitioners sought the release of political leaders, including Raghuji Pant, Pashupati Chaulagain, Lal Bahadur Tamang, Gopal Shakya, Dev Raj Ghimire, Purna Prasad Gautam Hridayesh Tripathi. Dan Bahadur Dangol, Santosh Timalsena, Arun Nepal, Daya Ram Khadka, Bhim Raj Angdambe and Kamal Itani.

The petitioners also accused the Home Ministry and the Police Headquarters of holding the detainees illegally for the past few weeks after their arrest from pro-democracy rallies.