A cabinet meeting on Monday evening appointed Additional Inspector General Dr Dinesh Chandra Pokhrel as the officiating chief of Nepal Police.

Chief Secretary Somlal Subedi confirmed the appointment. Government had to amend the Nepal Police Regulations to appoint Pokhrel as officiating chief.

Pokhrel belongs to a technical background and is the medical director of Nepal Police Hospital.

He is the senior-most official in the police force after IGP Upendra Kanta Aryal and 12 other AIGs retired from Tuesday.

Government decision to appoint Jaya Bahadur Chand as new IGP was stayed by the Supreme Court.

It is understood that Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba put pressure on PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Deputy Prime Minister Bimalendra Nidhi to appoint Chand as IGP. Deuba denied his involvement.