Mother of Nirmala Pant, who was raped and subsequently murdered in Kanchanpur on July 26, filed a complaint at the District Police Office (DPO) on Monday against two sacked police officers and six other suspended officers for destroying evidence of the crime.

Durga Devi filed the complaint against the then SP Dilli Raj Bista, DSP duo Angur GC and Gyan Bahadur Sethi, inspectors Jagadish Bhatta and Ekindra Khadka, sub-inspector Harihar Singh Dhami, assistant sub-inspector Ramsingh Dhami and constable Chadani Saud, blaming them for destroying evidence of the gruesome crime during investigation.

Likewise, brother of Dilip Singh Bista, who had been paraded by police as Nirmala’s murderer but released later after a DNA test did not match the vaginal swab of the

victim, also filed a separate case against Dilli Raj, GC, Sethi and Khadka charging them with extortion in police custody.

In his complaint, Dilip’s brother Khadak has claimed that the then police officers tortured Dilip in the custody and forced him to admit his involvement in the crime by force-feeding intoxicants.

Khadak has claimed that health of his mentally ill brother deteriorated further due to excessive torture in the custody. “He is receiving treatment in Kathmandu now,” he added.

Durga Devi, presenting several video clips as proofs, accused those officers of not protecting the crime site and destroying the evidence in a bid to protect the criminals. Along with the legal action against them for botching up the investigation, she has also demanded immediate arrest of the criminals.  

DSP Krishna Raj Ojha at the DPO said the cases would be registered if they were found as per the existing legal provisions, without divulging details.

Yagya Raj resumes sit-in

Nirmala’s father Yagya Raj Pant, who had been taken to Kathmandu for treatment, returned to Mahendranagar on Monday. He joined the sit-in immediately after arriving here.

Pant was rushed to Kathmandu for treatment on November 25 after he appeared confused and showed erratic signs in public.

“I’ve recovered, so I have started sit-in. Doctor has told me to speak less, eat on time, and take rest,” said Yagya Raj, adding that the sit-in would continue until police arrested the murderer(s). Doctors have put a plaster cast on Pant’s right leg due to injury. He has been suggested to keep the cast for the next three weeks. He said the doctors told him that his erratic behaviour was due to his thyroid problem. “I have been prescribed medicines for a month. I will have to go for a follow-up,” he said.

AIG Basnyat submits report

NAYAK PAUDEL

The committee formed to probe the dubious role of police officers during the investigation into rape and murder of Nirmala Pant submitted its report to Inspector General of Police Sarbendra Khanal on Monday.

The Nepal Police had formed the nine-member committee under Additional Inspector General Dhiru Basnyat on September 16 to probe the role of police officers in the widely criticised investigation process following a field report submitted by Joint-secretary at Home Ministry Hari Prasad Mainali. AIG Basnyat has submitted a 700-page report, Assistant Spokesperson for Nepal Police Superintendent of Police Ram Dutta Joshi said.

The Home Ministry had sacked SP Dilli Raj Bista and Inspector Jagadish Bhatta following Mainali’s report, AIG Basnyat’s preliminary report and recommendation of IG Khanal.

“The report will now be analysed by our legal section and further action will be taken as per suggestions in the report,” IG Khanal told the Post.

AIG Basnyat had been saying that his committee would submit the report only after gathering concrete evidence on police officers and their role in the investigation of Nirmala case.

The committee interrogated more than two dozen police officers at the Nepal Police Headquarters in Naxal, Kathmandu.