KATHMANDU, March 6: Kailali District Court has sentenced the main suspects of 2015 Tikapur massacre, lawmaker Resham Lal Chaudhary and ten others to life imprisonment.

A single bench of Justice Parshuram Bhattarai gave the verdict on Wednesday, which also sentence Tharu activists Laxman Tharu and eleven others with three years in jail. Tharu, who has already served his three years term, is set to be released today. 32 more suspects of Tikapur incident are still at large.

On August 24, 2015 armed protesters affiliated with the Tharuhat Struggle Committee had attacked security force attempting to enforce restrictions with axes, scythes and spears in Tikapur, Kailali killing eight, including seven police officers and a two-year old baby.

Rastriya Janata Party Nepal candidate Chaudhary, who won the House of Representative election from Kailali constituency 1filing his candidacy through a representative held on December 7, 2017, had surrendered himself to the Kailali District Court on February 26 last year.

Chaudhary had taken oath of office and secrecy on January 3 while his case was still sub-judice in the court. After swearing-in, he was taken back to the Central Jail at Dilli Bazar from the parliament.

Chaudhary will automatically lose his position as lawmakers . According to law, people convicted of crimes by a court cannot be lawmakers

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KATHMANDU, June 9: Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN) leader Laxman Lal Karna has clarified that his party will not accept the system of directly elected executive presidential system in the country.

The ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, a few days ago, had said that his party is intending to introduce the system of directly elected executive president in the country by amending constitution.

“RJPN is on the side of parliamentary system in the country. The NCP is opting to change the constitution of Nepal in power of the two-third majority they command in the House. But it can be their mistake,” said leader Karna at an interaction program organized by the Reporters’ Club Nepal on Wednesday.

“Prachanda, by opining for the system, cannot take the country to executive presidential system. The system will bring dictatorship in the country. RJPN will not accept such system at any cost,” he clarified.

Leader Karna also said that he could be one of the candidates for the position of parliamentary party leader.

“The party will hold a meeting on June 18, which will endorse the parliamentary party statute. After that the elections will be held,” he said.

When asked if he would claim the position, he said: “I have the right to claim the post. RJPN has 17 lawmakers in the House. Each of them as the right to claim for the position of parliamentary party leader.”

RJPN is yet to elect its parliamentary party leader.

‘RESHAM CHAUDHARY NOT GUILTY YET’

Leader Karna also claimed that the new provision under the House of Representatives Regulations has brought for his party lawmaker Resham Lal Chaudhary.

“In a common law system, a person is not declared criminal upon his arrest. He remains a suspect unless he is proved guilty by the law. Therefore we said that a lawmaker cannot be suspended unless he is proved guilty by the court.”

The Parliament on Friday passed the House of Representatives Regulations 2075- that provisions barring a lawmaker from parliamentary privilege, perks and facilities instead of suspending his from his position upon being arrested for a criminal offence or any other offence accountable to incur a jail term of three years or more.

“The Regulations has been approved in consensus in the House,” he added.

‘EITHER SPEAKER OR DEPUTY SPEAKER MUST RESIGN IMMEDIATELY’

Two people representing the same party cannot hold the post of Speaker and Deputy Speaker in the House of Representatives.

The Speaker of the House, Krishna Bahadur Mahara and Deputy Speaker Shiva Maya Tumbahamphe both are from NCP. Earlier, before the unification of the two communist parties, Mahara represented Maoist Center and Tumbahanphe represented UML.

Article 91 of the constitution of Nepal states that the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives shall be from different parties.

“It is against the constitution. Either the Speaker or the Deputy Speaker must immediately resign,” he added.

DHANGADHI, March 10: Tikapur incident accused Resham Lal Chaudhary, who is remanded in custody, has been airlifted to Kathmandu for further medical treatment, said Chief District Officer Gobinda Prasad Rijal.

Chaudhary was referred to Kathmandu by Seti Zonal Hospital, Dhangadhi, he said, adding that he was under medical care, and was taken to the hospital today itself following health issue.

Chaudhary will be kept in the Central Prison, Kathmandu where he would be under medical care, he said.

The incident that implicated Chaudhary saw at least eight persons including a Senior Superintendent of Police, two inspectors, and a two years old toddler dead, and 42 other police personnel injured following a clash between police and protesting Tharuhat activities in Shankarpur of Tikapur Municipality in Kailali on August 25, 2015.

Chaudhary, who was kept in Kailali District Prison, joined a hunger strike started in the prison itself by 23 other accused in the incident putting forth various demands. The strike reached the sixth day today.

He was elected parliament member from Kailali constituency 1 from Rastriya Janata Party ticket. Chaudhary was referred to Bir Hospital or Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital for mineral deficiency, said medical superintendent for the Seti Zonal Hospital Dr Sajan KC.

The demands put forth by the accused include creating an environment conducive for Chaudhary to take the oath of office and secrecy as a parliament member and fulfillment of Tharuhat demands.

Meanwhile, efforts of concerned authorities to break the hunger strike were on, it has been learnt. RSS

KATHMANDU, March 10: Members of the Rastriya Janata Party Nepal presidium committee have met Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa on Saturdry and drew his attention towards responding to the demands raised by RJPN leader Resham Chaudhary.

Stating that the state of health of the 26 people including leader Chaudhary (who are staging a hunger strike in jail) was deteriorating, the leaders urged the Home Minister to resolve the matter at the earliest. They also argued that there were no legal hurdles to bring Chaudhary to Kathmandu from Kailali and hand him his Parliament Member certificate and administer oath of office and secrecy.

At the meeting held at the Home Ministry, Minister Thapa said the government was serious about the health condition of the 26 people including leader Chaudhary and the Ministry was working to address the demands that could be met immediately.

He said that matters other than related to the court could be resolved through dialogue and discussion.

Putting forth a three-point demand including certificate of MP and withdrawal of cases filed in relation to the Kailali incident, leader Chaudhary and 25 others are staging a fast-unto-death inside the jail since March 4.

Leader Chaudhary has been accused of masterminding the incident that took place in Tikapur of Kailali in August 2015. Eight persons including Senior Superintendent of Police Laxman Neupane were killed in the incident. Chaudhary had been on the run since the incident but was elected to the House of Representatives from Constituency no.1 of Kailali in absentia. RSS

KATHMANDU, Dec 24: The decision of the Supreme Court to uphold the rejection of the registration of a case relating to murder accused Resham Chaudhary, has paved a way to arrest him. Chaudhary is also elected as the member of the House of Representatives from Kailali-1 as independent candidate.

A single bench of SC Justice Tanka Bahadur Moktan upheld the decision of rejecting the registration of case brought to the court on behalf of Chaudhary.

When Chaudhary tried to file a case at SC, demanding his right to receive the certificate of the election of House of Representatives, the SC administration had rejected the registration of the case.

Earlier, the District Election Office, Kailali, had rejected to provide the certificate of election victory to Chaudhary.
Chaudhary has been accused behind the Tikapur scourge, where seven security persons and children were killed on September 13, 2015.

Earlier, on December 19, a single bench of Chief Justice Gopal Parajuli. RSS