Maoists defend Dhungel‚ say Shrestha was killed for spying
The UCPN-Maoist on Saturday defended its murder-convict lawmaker Bal Krishna Dhungel saying he was not personally involved in the 1998 murder of Ujjan Kumar Shrestha in Okhaldhunga. By organizing a press conference at the party headquarters in Perisdanda, Koteshwor Maoist Okhaldhunga District Committee Secretary Ram Kumar Karki said that action against Shrestha was taken as per the party decision for his involvement in sexual harassment and espionage. The Okhaldhunga District Court had convicted Dhungel for murdering Shrestha in 2004, which the Supreme Court also upheld in 2010 though Rajbiraj Appellate District court gave him a clean chit in 2006. At today’s press conference, Karki refuted opposition’s assessment of Dhungel’s case and their understanding on Dhungel amnesty move. The NC and the CPN-UML along with human right watch dogs have been alleging that the decision to pardon murder-convict Dhungel is not only the mockery of the rule of law, but it may have serious ramifications’ and could even jeopardise the peace process. NC and UML lawmakers have been claiming that Dhungel's crime was apolitical,committed with criminal intent, and hence it cannot be pardoned. At the press meet devoid of Maoist top guns, Karki appealed human right activities to poke into the case of Dhungel in an unbiased manner. Karki also expressed his confidence that President Dr Ram Baran Yadav, on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers, would grant pardon to Dhungel following consultations with concerned authorities. THT
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