CoAS Thapa defers summon of Rayamajhi commission

The Chief of the Army Staff (CoAS) General Pyar Jung Thapa deferred summon of the high-level judicial probe commission formed to investigate the atrocities committed to suppress pro-democracy movement of the country.

Sending a letter to the Commission, CoAS informed that he could not attend the commission to file statement at the Commission, as he has to go Pokhara for some important work.

The commission is yet to decide on re-summoning Thapa.

The commission led by former Justice of Supreme Court Krishna Jung Rayamajhi had summoned chief of the Nepali Army, General Pyar Jung Thapa, his deputy, Lt General Rukmangad Katuwal, and a former Major General in connection with their alleged role in suppressing the people’s movement-II on Thursday.

The commission asked CoAS Thapa and Lt General Katuwal to appear before the commission on July 30 and July 31 respectively to record their statement regarding the use of excessive force against the pro-democracy agitators by the security agencies under the command of the Nepali Army, commission officials said.

Likewise, the commission summoned retired Major General and then head of the Valley Pritana (division), Deepak Bikram Rana, for interrogation on July 31.

The Nepali Army led the Unified Command, which was dissolved by the government recently, during the people’s movement.

Thapa faces accusations of aiding the king in his autocratic rule by distorting the reports received from different security bodies.

Soon after its formation, Rayamajhi commissionhad recommended the government to suspend the heads of all the four security bodies but the government played lenient in the case of Thapa.

A few days ago, the Supreme Court too had issued a "show cause" notice to the government for not suspending Thapa.