Kathmandu, 30 April: Resham Chaudhary, the patron of the Nagarik Unmukti Party (Naupa), was arrested by plainclothes police officers from the premises of the Pragya Bhawan on Wednesday afternoon, just as he was about to announce a merger with CK Raut’s Janamat Party.
According to Kathmandu Police Complex SP Apilraj Bohora, Chaudhary was arrested to enforce the order of the Supreme Court and has already been handed over to Dillibazar Prison. He said, “We arrested Resham Lal Chaudhary to implement the Supreme Court’s verdict.”
In connection with the incident that occurred in Tikapur in Bhadra 2072 (August–September 2015), the court had sentenced Resham Chaudhary to life imprisonment. However, on the occasion of Republic Day on 15th Jestha 2080 (May 29, 2023), he was released from Dillibazar Prison based on a general amnesty granted by the government.
Although Chaudhary, who had served five years in prison following the Tikapur incident, was granted amnesty on Republic Day last year (15th Jestha), Sharda Kadayat, a victim of the Tikapur incident, filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court challenging the amnesty. Based on that petition, and according to police sources, after the Supreme Court overturned the amnesty decision, Chaudhary was arrested.
According to SSP Adhikari, following the hearing on the writ, the Supreme Court ordered that Chaudhary be immediately taken into custody, after which he was arrested and sent to Dillibazar Prison.
Similarly, in another case, the Supreme Court’s full bench had issued a mandamus order to immediately annul the presidential pardon granted by President Ram Chandra Paudel to Yog Prasad Dhakal, known as “Rigal.” The bench also ordered that Rigal be rearrested and sent back to prison.
Resham Chaudhary Released
He was immediately taken to Dillibazar Prison after being arrested from the Pragya Pratisthan based on an unauthorized letter from the Supreme Court. The police arrested him at 1 PM. After being taken to prison, he has just been released from Dillibazar Prison.
When Resham Chaudhary was arrested and sent to prison, there was chaos in the Supreme Court itself. Since the letter issued by the Supreme Court was unauthorized, he was released four hours later after another official letter was received from the Court. This incident has exposed the mismanagement within the judiciary. The official who issued the unauthorized arrest letter for Resham Chaudhary is now in custody.
