The Supreme Court (SC) on 14th August last year convicted NC leader Khadka of corruption and slapped a one-and-a-half-year prison term on him, along with confiscation of the graft amount of Rs 9.47 million and a fine of the same amount.[break]
But he was provided 20 percent waiver on both jail term and fines for surrendering before the court immediately after the court verdict was issued. Anyone who surrenders before the court within 60 days of a guilty verdict gets 20 percent waiver of punishment.
The court had found that Khadka acquired movable and immovable property from unspecified sources after he held various ministerial portfolios from 1991 onwards.
Addressing hundreds of supporters and party cadres who had thronged since early morning outside Dillibazar Jail to welcome him, Khadka said, “While I was in jail, I never thought about the judiciary´s injustice toward me. I devoted myself rather to thinking about democracy and nationalism along with the future of the NC and the country.” He had done nothing to deserve jail but became the victim of conspiracy, he claimed.
Talking to media, he commented that the phenomenon of the CPN-Maoist led 33-party alliance must be addressed well before the election, in order to end confrontation and the prolonged political crisis.
Khadka´s supporters took him in procession in a street rally starting from the jail. The rally made its way around several places in the Valley including Putalisadak, Ratnapark, Tripureswor, Balkhu and Sanepa. Khadka was wearing a garland weighing over a quintal.
During the rally that lasted for more than three hours, road traffic was heavily disrupted.
Superintendent of Police Basanta Panta, spokesperson of Metropolitan Police Traffic Division, said, “We could hardly manage traffic during the rally as the cadres marched through the main areas of the city. It is unfortunate that political parties have been misusing public space.”
Senior NC leaders and party cadres from different parts of the country participated in the street rally.
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