SC declines to release ex-ministers of royal govt

The Supreme Court declined to release three former ministers of the royal cabinet citing the changed political scenario, saying that a full bench of more than three justices would soon settle the case.

A joint bench of justices Kedar Prasad Giri and Tap Bahadur Magar passed the order saying that the writ needed to be presented before the full court of three justices, as it (writ) contested "serious legal complications."

"We need to interpret the legal provision in light of the changed political climate and in accordance with the declaration passed by the House of Representatives on May 18," said the bench.

Former ministers Ramesh Nath Pandey, Shrish Sumsher Rana and Nikshya Sumsher Rana are in preventive detention as per the Public Security Act 1989.Alleging that the former ministers were engaged in hatching conspiracies and plotting against the popular pro-democracy movement, the newly formed government on May 12 had arrested five of ministers of the royal cabinet.

Former ministers had filed a writ petition against their arrests at the SC.

The government had taken the trio in custody, accusing them of hatching conspiracies against the people’s sovereignty and attempting to thwart the people’s movement.Of the arrested ex-ministers, Pandey is undergoing treatment at Norvic Hospital after falling sick, while Shrish and Nikshya have been kept at the National Police Academy and Police Paharagan, Tripureshwor respectively.