Supreme Court orders the release of three royal ministers

Kathmandu, June 4 (UNI) The Supreme Court of Nepal has ordered the government to release three ministers of the royal cabinet who were arrested in April on the charge of hatching conspiracy against the democratic system.

A full bench of the Supreme Court comprising Chief Justice Dilip Kumar Paudel, Justices Min Bahadur Raymajhi, Ram Nagina Singh, Anup Raj Sharma and Khil Raj Regmi issued the order in favour of the former royal ministers Shris Shumshere Rana, Ramesh Nath Pandey and Nikshya Shumshere Rana.

There is not enough ground to arrest them, the Supreme Court said in its decision.

The government had arrested them at the recommendation of the high level judicial commission formed to investigate the suppression during the popular movement in April that forced the King to reinstate the House and hand over power to the political parties.

Five ministers including the then Home Minister Kamal Thapa were arrested on the charge of hatching conspiracy against the democratic system restored through the sacrifice of the people.

However, Mr Thapa and another minister have not filed writ in the Supreme Court.

UNI XC AD GC1546