Controversial judge suspended

The Judicial Council (JC) on Thursday decided to suspend Judge Tej Bahadur Karki in connection with his controversial verdict that let three notorious abductors—Bhimsen Pandit, Rohit Paliwal Agrawal and Sanjay Shrestha—go scot-free.

While serving in the Kathmandu District Court as Judge, Karki, who is now in the Hetauda Appellate Court, had freed the trio on bail in January 2009.

Pandit and Agrawal are alleged masterminds of the abduction of Dr. Bhaktaman Shrestha, the Executive Director of BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital, Chitwan.

Police had rounded up the duo in connection with a series of abductions, attempted murder and possession of arms and stolen vehicles. However, Karki had decided to release them after nine months in jail despite ample evidence against them. Karki’s verdict came under the JC scanner after the arrested henchmen of the abduction ringleaders confessed to the police that they had abducted Dr. Shrestha to recover their money spent for their release from prison earlier.

The investigators have it that Pandit and Agrawal had spent Rs. 7 million to secure their release from prison. Members of the JC smelt rat on Karki’s verdict as offenders under serious charges cannot be freed after nine months in prison.

The JC found that the release was against the law and therefore decided to “issue a notice to Karki not to perform his duty.”

The JC has formed a probe team under Justice Bala Ram KC to investigate the controversial case and has asked it to submit a report within one month.


Source: POST REPORT, KATHMANDU, JUL 15