The Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) has expressed serious concern over a Kathmandu District Court order directing two online media outlets to remove published reports and refrain from similar future publications.

The FNJ has called on the court to reconsider the order, stating that if it does not, the federation may be forced to pursue legal or institutional action to defend press freedom.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the FNJ argued that the interim injunction violates the spirit of the constitution and global principles on media freedom. The order, issued by Judge Pitambar Sharma, followed a petition filed by Santosh Narayan Shrestha, chairperson of the Nepal Securities Board, against Nepalkhabar.com and Bizmandu.com.

The court instructed the platforms to immediately remove and refrain from publishing “unverified and baseless” reports that could cause “irreparable damage” to the petitioner.

Meanwhile, journalist Dil Bhusan Pathak has alleged government overreach following the issuance of an arrest warrant against him. The warrant was issued on Tuesday based on a complaint lodged by Jaiveer Singh Deuba—son of Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba and Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba—over a Tough Talk YouTube episode titled “Jaiveer Deuba’s money in Hilton!”

The video had linked Jaiveer to controversial share transactions involving Hilton Hotel.

Pathak said he had not been formally informed of the complaint or specific charges, and questioned the use of the Electronic Transactions Act over media content, when the Press Council is the appropriate body to handle such matters.

“If there are concerns about a broadcast, the first step should be approaching the journalist, and then the Press Council,” he said in a written request to the FNJ for support. “Invoking criminal law and withholding the complaint details raises serious suspicions.”

Nepal Police have defended their actions. “The warrant was issued based on a formal complaint. The investigation is ongoing, and the bureau acted according to legal procedure,” said Deputy Inspector General Nabinda Aryal, also the chief of the Nepal Police’s Cyber Bureau.

Pathak has asked the Press Council to obtain details of the complaint and urged it to take necessary action to protect press freedom and prevent misuse of criminal law against journalists.