According to council chairman Borna Bahadur Karki, the media statutory body has initiated its probe investigations whether the allegations against Shrestha was based on truth and fact.

Press Council Nepal is a media regulatory body set up to ensure ethical and credible journalism in a democratic society.

"Press Council Nepal has initiated its investigation whether the allegation of sexual misconduct of children by social worker Shrestha was based on fact or not, if the news report was premeditated, if the professional ethics and code of conduct of journalism had been violated while preparing the report," said PCN in a statement issued on Monday.  

The council has urged all the concerned sides to lend support in its investigation.

The council noted that the remarks made in the media and among general public have raised question mark over the truth in the news report that alleged social worker Shrestha of sexual abuse. Stating that there were widespread discourses and talk about abuse of press freedom and violation of journalist code of conduct in the news reporting, the media regulatory body said its serious attention has been drawn towards the same.

Last week Nagarik daily published a news report citing an audio recording in which Shrestha was supposedly talking to a client over phone.