The suspension of lawmaker Arun Kumar Chaudhary, who was elected from Kailali constituency-2 from the Nagarik Unmukti Party, has been lifted following a presidential pardon.

On the occasion of Democracy Day, President Bidya Devi Bhandari had pardoned 395 convicts and those serving jail terms, including Chaudhary, as per the government’s recommendation.

Chaudhary was released from Kailali prison on February 19.

Police on February 3 had arrested Chaudhary because he had yet to serve the jail term associated with his conviction. He was absconding for a decade now, according to police.

The Kailali district court in April 2013 had convicted Chaudhary for torching a tractor belonging to a private individual in August 2009. The court had imposed six months of jail along with a fine of Rs900,000 on him. He hadn’t served the jail term nor had paid the fine.

House of Representatives Speaker Devraj Ghimire, during the House session on Wednesday, informed that the Parliament has received a letter from the Home Ministry mentioning of the presidential pardon to the lawmaker.