KATHMANDU, Jan 19: Nepal Army (NA) on Tuesday decided to initiate court martial proceedings against Brigadier General Kiran Bajracharya, a lieutenant colonel, five majors and two captains for their alleged involvement in lobbying political leaders to not extend the term of Major General Naresh Basnyat.
This might be the biggest number of senior officers court martialled at one time in Nepal.
NA took the decision after the Court of Inquiry chaired by Inspector General Netra Bahadur Thapa recommended court martial for Bajracharya and his eight subordinates.
“As per the CoI recommendations, a court martial board will be formed under the chairmanship of Major General Anil Jung Thapa by Wednesday,” Judge Advocate General BA Kumar Sharma told Republica. Thapa is the director general of NA Military Training Department.
According to army sources, Brigadier General Bajracharya, Lieutenant Colonel Premendra Kishor Chhetri, Majors Kiran Shrestha, Pankaj Thapa, Dhruba Pandit, Govinda Mainali and Ram Sagar Yadav, and two captains will face court martial.
The source added the CoI recommendation says, “The inquiry has found that they have acted against the army discipline. Therefore, it has concluded that they should be punished in line with the Army Act.”
“Court martial board in the NA has the power to sack the accused and jail him for up to seven years. Also, it can warn the accused and acquit him,” a major general told Republica.
He, however, added that the board will announce its verdict after carefully considering the charges, their effect on the victims and the background to the case.
But, the verdict given by the board is not final. Its decision can be challenged at NA´s Appellate Court, which is headed by Patan Appellate Court´s judge with the defense secretary as member.
Bajracharya and his eight subordinates have been accused of lobbying Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and Defense Minister Bidhya Bhandari to not extend the term of Basnyat, who is the chief of the Office of Director General of Development and Construction.
Despite the lobbying, the cabinet had extended the term Basnyat for two years on December 26.
http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=27337
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