National
Biratnagar High Court chief judge faces action
The Judicial Council on Monday decided to recall Chief Judge of Biratnagar High-Court Kul Ratna Bhurtel to its secretariat, as part of action against him for his role in releasing suspects of a gold smuggling case on bail.Tika R Pradhan
The Judicial Council on Monday decided to recall Chief Judge of Biratnagar High-Court Kul Ratna Bhurtel to its secretariat, as part of action against him for his role in releasing suspects of a gold smuggling case on bail.
Bhurtel is the sixth judge facing Judicial Council action in the past week.
On Thursday, Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana, who heads the Judicial Council, initiated action against five Biratnagar High Court judges—Saranga Subedi, Nagendra Labh Karna, Thir Bahadur Karki, Umesh Raj Poudel and Umesh Kumar Singh.
“Today’s meeting of the Judicial Council decided to recall Chief Judge of Biratnagar High Court, Kul Ratna Bhurtel, to the JC Secretariat,” said Law Minister Bhanubhakta Dhakal, a member of the JC.
CJ Rana had initiated action against the five Biratnagar judges following a report of the Judiciary Oversight Mechanism, which was formed after Rana assumed office, which said the judges’ order to release the police officers accused in the 33kg gold smuggling case was erroneous.
The gold smuggling case is shrouded in mystery as the precious metal, lost after being impounded, is yet to be traced.
The court had released suspended Deputy Superintendent of Police Prajit KC, one of the suspects in gold smuggling as well as in the murder of carrier Sanam Shakya, on general date.
The Judicial Council has entrusted Supreme Court Justice Ishwor Khatiwada with the task of investigating into the gold smuggling case.
Another SC Justice Ananda Mohan Bhattarai will look into the issue of Patan High Court justice Bishwo Mangal Atreya, who was earlier recalled to the JC Secretariat on the charge of working with ill-will while imparting justice.