Rupa Sunar, an alleged victim of caste-based discrimination, has filed a writ petition at the Supreme Court against Education Minister Krishna Gopal Shrestha.

Sunar, a resident of Tanahun district currently working in the media sector in Kathmandu, had accused a woman of Babarmahal, Kathmandu of caste-based discrimination by refusing to rent out her house because of her caste.

Sunar had subsequently filed a discrimination case against the house owner on June 17 and the latter was arrested on June 20.

The police released the house owner from custody on June 23 after the Kathmandu district attorney’s office said that investigation into the case was incomplete.

Following her release, Minister Shrestha had reached the police office and escorted the accused in his vehicle to her home.

In the petition, Sunar has asked the court to issue an order to sack Minister Shrestha from the post saying that the minister misused his post and resources to influence an ongoing investigation by securing the release of the accused.

“The Minister for Education, Science and Technology should be removed from his post for influencing a serious criminal case like caste-based discrimination by misusing his authority and government resources and visiting the police station so necessary legal action be taken against him,” states the writ petition registered by Sunar on Sunday.

Communications expert at the Supreme Court Kishor Poudel said the apex court will hear Sunar’s petition on Monday.

Besides Minister Shrestha, Sunar has made the Kathmandu District Attorney’s Office Babarmahal, Metropolitan Police Circle Singhadurbar and Saraswati Pradhan—the house owner —as defendants.

Sunar has also asked the court to order the Kathmandu district attorney’s office and Metropolitan Police Office, Singha Durbar to register her complaint against Shrestha and begin investigations as per the law and update the court on the progress of the investigation on a weekly basis.