The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the decision of the government to withdraw an attempted murder case against the alleged assaulters of assistant professor Prem Chalaune. 

Responding to a writ petition filed by Chalaune, who challenged the government’s decision, a single bench of Justice Manoj Kumar Sharma ordered the defendants not to implement the decision until the next order. The court also issued a show-cause notice in the name of defendants including the Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, asking them to furnish clarifications on why the decision was taken. 

The assistant professor of Tribhuvan University had moved the apex court on Wednesday demanding the court pass an order to annul the decision arguing it was against the law and the defendants are trying to protect the accused. 

A Cabinet meeting on June 13 had withdrawn the case against a group of students who physically assaulted Chalaune three years ago. 

Chalaune, an assistant professor of Sociology at the Tribhuvan University in Kirtipur, was beaten on October 6, 2020 by a gang of men including Hari Acharya, TU chapter president of Nepali Congress-affiliated Nepal Students’ Union (NSU), Yogendra Rawal, secretary of the same organisation, and other members of the union. Chalaune had sustained serious injuries on his head, chest and thighs, and spent a month in hospital. 

A case of attempted murder was filed against the assailants at Kathmandu District Court following the incident. 

The assistant professor is currently staging a fast-unto-death at the university premises against the decision to withdraw the case.