Siraha Police Chief Suraj KC claimed that the district administration released the quintet taken in control by the police for public offense. The five were released when Siraha Chief District Officer (CDO) Gehanath Bhandari was out of the district. When contacted, Bhandari said he knew nothing about the development. Acting CDO Ganesh Acharya could not be reached for comments.
Govinda Jha, inspector at the Area Police Office, Mirchaiya, which arrested the quintet, on Tuesday accused the SP of changing the case of the five arrested on July 26 with drugs and an illegal vehicle to a public offense case with an intention of getting them released despite recommendation of the Mirchaiya Police to register a drug trafficking case against them.
Jha had also claimed that the case was changed to save a relative of CDO Bhandari who was one of the arrested. Jha, who had blown the whistle in the case, refused to comment on the decision reportedly under pressure from the SP and local leaders of ruling parties.
Rajesh Basnet from Bhadrakali, Kathmandu, and Sundar Shrestha, Jeevan Shrestha, Pravin Niraula and Chakra Majhi from Katari-4, Udayapur, were arrested from Fulbariya-8, Siraha, with 15 bottles of Corex cough syrup — a codeine-based drug that is commonly used for addiction — and a Mahindra Bolero jeep with Indian registration.
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