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Home  » News » Nepal panel for action against former ministers

Nepal panel for action against former ministers

By Shirish Pradhan in Kathmandu
November 21, 2006 19:27 IST
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A government commission which held Nepal's King Gyanendra responsible for the crackdown on pro-democracy protestors during the uprising in April has also recommended corruption charges against three former ministers and the then army chief.

The commission, which submitted its report to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala on Monday, recommended charges of corruption against former home minister Kamal Thapa, minister of state for information and communication Shris Shumsher Rana, local development minister Tanka Dhakal and then army chief Pyarjung Thapa, a member of the commission said.

All the charged ministers and army chief had admitted to having misused state funds during their interrogation, the commission said.

Set up to investigate the excesses committed during the crackdown, the five-member commission, headed by former Supreme Court judge Krishna Jung Raymajhi also found that 19 people were killed in the 19 days' movement and 9,194 people sustained injuries.

The commission also recommended action against 202 people, including King Gyanendra, who headed the then royal government, for excesses committed during the agitation.

The popular uprising had forced the king to end his direct rule, re-instate Parliament and hand over power to a multi-party government of agitating parties.

The report has found all members of the royal cabinet guilty and recommended action against them.

It has called for action against the then heads of security agencies, regional and zonal administrators and the king's advisors, who were involved in amassing state funds and misuse of power and excesses during the agitation.

It also recommended murder charges against 15 security personnel, including Senior Superintendent of Police of the Armed Police Force Durja Kumar Rai, who was responsible for the death of five agitators in Kalanki in the outskirts of Kathmandu.

The report has recommended dismissal of five high officials, including then chief government secretary Lok Man Singh Karki and also departmental action against present Army Chief Rukmangad Katuwal.

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Shirish Pradhan in Kathmandu
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