The National Human Rights Commission has started an investigation into the custodial death of Sundar Harijan in Rolpa prison last month.

Issuing a statement on Friday, the constitutional human rights watchdog said a team from the commission’s provincial office in Nepalgunj has started an investigation into the incident.

“The commission has taken the issue seriously and was collecting information from all concerned from May 19 while closely following the actions of the Nepal government closely,” reads the statement.

Harijan was found dead on May 18 and the cause of death was reported to be suicide. He was serving time instead of another criminal Bijay Bikram Shah.

Following Harujan’s death, the government had formed a probe panel led by director of the Department of Prison Management, Jharendra Chapagain. The panel has already submitted its report to the Director General of Department of Prison Management, Basudev Ghimire, saying there was no involvement of the prison administration in Harijan’s death.

But the Home Ministry formed yet another probe committee led by Surya Prasad Sedhai, a joint secretary at the ministry, on May 31 to investigate the matter.

Shah was sent to jail for extortions and his involvement in organised crime and he would have been released on March 6 next year. He, however, was released on January 12, 2020 as Sundar Harijan who was jailed on charges of mobile theft.

Officials say they are unaware how the two were swapped.

“The commission urged the Nepal government and concerned authorities to conduct a fair investigation of the incident and ensure that such incidents are not repeated in the future,” reads the statement.