Lalita Niwas land scam: SC issues order to show cause over habeas corpus writ

KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court on Friday issued an order to show cause in regard with a writ of habeas corpus registered by three arrestees over the Lalita Niwas land procurement scam.

According to SC Spokesperson Bimal Paudel, the apex court conducted a hearing on the writ on Friday and issued the show-cause order.

Former election commissioner Sudhir Kumar Shah, Bhatbhateni Supermarket Franchise proprietor Min Bahadur Gurung and Inland Revenue Office’s former employee Dharma Prasad Gautam had registered a writ of habeas corpus on Thursday at the apex court.

They were arrested on June 27 along with another alleged in the land-grabbing scam, Gopal Karki. They were presented before the Kathmandu District Court on June 29 and the court allowed the police to continue investigations against them by keeping in custody for seven days.

Earlier, police decided to release three accused Kaladhar Deuja, Surendraman Kapali and Hupendra Mani KC after completing required paper works as they were found possessing the Supreme Court’s stay order against their arrests.

The interim order by the Supreme Court asks the authorities to investigate the matter keeping them out of custody.

Police said they are conducting a ‘special operation’ in connection with the infamous Lalita Niwas land-grab scandal. The arrested are charged of forgery in bringing the public property of the Lalita Niwas in Baluwatar under the ownerships of individuals from 2049 BS to 2069 BS. RSS