KATHMANDU, July 20: The Special Court (SC) on Tuesday sent former Inspector General of Police (IGP) and Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal´s suspended Security Advisor Ramesh Chand Thakuri, one of the police officers accused in the multi-million rupee Sudan scam, to Dillibazar jail after he failed to deposit bail amount of Rs 70 million as sought by the court.
Thakuri´s relatives tried to deposit the bail amount through a bank guarantee but the court refused to accept the bank guarantee citing inadequate time. It was already 7:15 pm when the court came up with its order.
Following preliminary hearings in the case, the Special Court bench chaired by Gauri Bahadur Karki and member Om Prakash Mishra decided to seek bail from Thakuri. The bench slapped a bail amount in line with the amount of money and gravity of the offence allegedly involving Thakuri.
"Preliminary evidence substantiates that Thakuri endorsed a document to purchase and supply armored personnel carriers (APCs) and other logistics which was initially designed and subsequently floated by his former colleagues," reads the order, adding that available documents show that Thakuri released $700,000 under sixth and seventh instalment to supplier despite suggestions not to do so by DIG Rajendra Singh Bhandari, the then chief of Nepal´s Sudan mission.
The bench noted that Thakuri was informed beforehand by Bhandari about obsolete and sub-standard APCs and also the insecurity Nepali peacekeepers are facing due to lack of APCs and other goods. "Thakuri released payment to contractor despite knowing that APCs were non-functional and Nepali peacekeepers´ insecure situation thereby bypassing the suggestions given by Bhandari," states the order.
The Special Court also stated that Thakuri was informed beforehand after media broke the news about irregularities in the procurement and supply of sub-standard APCs.
"Thakuri has been initially found to have not inquired the contractor about the non-functional APCs and other goods," reads the order, "The court will come up with a final verdict regarding Thakuri´s involvement in the scam. But for now, based on the immediate facts and figures, the bench decides to slap bail against him."
CIAA had filed a case against 34 police officers including Thakuri and two contractors, accusing them of embezzling about Rs 290 million while planning, procuring and paying for APCs and other logistics supplied to Nepali peacekeepers in Darfur, Sudan.
"You also heard the hearings made by my lawyers," Thakuri responded to journalists, adding, "Now you assess yourselves."
Before beginning the hearing in the case, the court had recorded Thakuri´s statement in connection with the scam. Thakuri appeared before the Special Court to defend charges filed against him after the court issued a summons notice.
The statement recording process lasted till 4 pm and than hearing began in the case. It was already 4:30 pm when government lawyers finished their pleadings against Thakuri. Private lawyers demanded to defer the hearing for Wednesday but the bench continued it.
Expressing dissatisfaction over insufficient time fixed by the bench, Senior Advocate Shambhu Thapa refused to plead on behalf of Thakuri. Though six lawyers filed applications, only two lawyers -- Senior Advocate Sunil Panta and advocate Bhimarjun Acharya pleaded on behalf of Thakuri.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment