Kathmandu, 16 June: An interim order has been issued by the court preventing the immediate arrest of journalist Dilbhusan Pathak.
Pathak filed a writ petition at the Patan High Court on Sunday challenging the arrest warrant issued against him. Hearing the petition on Monday, Judge Rishiraj Bhandari issued a short-term interim order.
The court has also summoned both parties for a hearing on Asar 5 (June 19) to discuss whether to continue the interim order or not.
Citing the seriousness of the petitioner’s claims, the Patan High Court has issued a short-term interim order barring the arrest of journalist Dilbhusan Pathak, except in accordance with the law.
The order states: “Considering the gravity of the petitioner’s plea, a short-term interim order is hereby issued under Rule 42 (1)(a) of the High Court Regulations, 2073, instructing the respondents not to arrest or cause the arrest of Dilbhusan Pathak except as permitted by law.”
Senior Advocate Dinesh Tripathi clarified that under this interim order, the police are currently barred from arresting Pathak. “As long as this order remains in effect, the police cannot arrest him,” he said.
Representing Pathak in court were Senior Advocates Shambhu Thapa, Dinesh Tripathi, and Bhimarjun Acharya, along with Advocates Om Prakash Aryal, Santosh Bahadur Sigdel, Gokul Bhandari, Kulraj Lamichhane, Gokul Nyaupane, and Divakar Puri.
The court has also asked the respondents to submit a written explanation as to why the interim order should not be continued, in line with Pathak’s petition.
The Patan High Court has ordered the concerned authorities to submit a written response explaining why the interim order preventing journalist Dilbhusan Pathak’s arrest should not be continued. The order states:
“What exactly happened in this case? Why should the court not issue an order as requested by the petitioner? If there are any grounds or reasons against issuing the order as demanded, a written reply along with evidence must be submitted via the Office of the High Government Attorney, Patan, within 15 days from the date of receipt of this notice, excluding travel time.”
The controversy began when the Nepal Police’s Cyber Bureau obtained an arrest warrant from the Kathmandu District Court on Jestha 28 (June 10), following the release of a video by Pathak.
In the video report, published about four weeks ago via the Tough Talk YouTube channel, Pathak linked Hilton Hotel with Jayveer Singh Deuba, son of Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba. After receiving complaints about the video, the Cyber Bureau requested the court to issue an arrest warrant.
The warrant has faced criticism, with legal experts questioning its legitimacy, noting that the court issued the order outside its jurisdiction.
