Justice Bam shooter arrested in Saudi Arabia

KATHMANDU, March 25: The alleged shooter of Supreme Court Justice Rana Bahadur Bam, Sanjay Ismali Magar, has been arrested in Saudi Arabia.

Magar was arrested by Saudi police on Tuesday.

Nepal Police had issued a diffusion notice through Interpol to track down Magar, a native of Khaniyapani-5 in Ramechhap, and hand him over to the authorities.

Magar is believed to have shot dead SC Justice Bam near UN Park in Lalitpur at 11.30 am on May 31, 2012. Justice Bam was on his way to the Apex Court in Ramshahpath after visiting the Patan-based Banglamukhi temple when he was shot four times on his neck, chest, armpit and belly. He later died at Norvic Hospital in Thapathali in course of treatment.

Police had already arrested a former cadre of Chure Bhawar Rastriya Ekata Party Babu Thapa from Rautahat district and made him public on January 3. Thapa had sought revenge against Justice Bam for sentencing him to long prison terms which, he believed, had ended his political career and foiled his prospects of becoming the state minister for home affairs.

Also the authentication row of the Chure Bhawar Rastriya Ekata Party where Justice Bam had reinstated Keshav Mainali as party chairman, had enraged Thapa.

Police had also arrested Karan Chaudhary, 38, of Janakpur, a sharp shooter, Prem Raj Khadka, motorbike rider, and Deepak Karna of Janakpur who assisted in the crime.

DIG Hemanta Malla Thakuri, chief of Central Investigation Bureau, informed that preparations were being made to bring Magar to Nepal today.