HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE
KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court today asked Sagarmatha Television (STV) to reveal the source of information based on which it had aired news regarding Chief Justice Ram Prasad Shrestha’s possession of huge property in Kathmandu.
The apex court has given STV three days to clarify, stating that it had aired the objectionable, fictitious and fabricated news. The apex court also stated that the fictitious news aired
by the TV posed a serious threat to the integrity of Chief Justice Shrestha, attacked judicial decorum and slandered the CJ’s character.
According to Hemanta Rawal, assistant spokesperson, SC said the apex court has already served the order to the Office of the Television and the process of examining the reality has began.
The apex court also told STV to justify the authenticity, verifiability and rationale of the news and to reveal the names of the reporter, editor, producer and programme anchor who were involved in reporting and airing the news.
The apex court alleged that STV had aired totally fictitious and fabricated information which charged the judge with owning property that belonged by his already separated sons and first wife Kabita Shrestha. The property was formally separated through the decision of the Land Revenue Office on January 5, 2005.
STV had said Shrestha has 9 buildings in Kathmandu, in its programme Tesro Aankha/Khojkhabar on January 30 and 31.
“This is the initial work of collecting facts for initiating contempt of court action,” Rawal added.
When contacted, STV Editor Sarad Chandra Osti said, “We did not air the news with ill intention and we will submit our answers to the court as per its order.” Osti, however, added that as the court has taken up the issue, STV will reveal all the facts following due process of law.
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