According to sources, the AG´s new step is seen as preparations for taking action against government lawyers and other officers concerned who are not toeing the government´s line in the Thapa murder case. [break]
The sources said the officials concerned will be blamed for any leak of confidential information to the public after a study of their phone call details.
A highly-placed police source confirmed that the AG´s office has asked the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) for the telephone call details of District Attorney Dambar Kafle and other officials handling the Thapa case.
“At first, an attempt was made to dismiss the case without recording the statements of the murder accused,” said the source.
“The call details might be used to take action against the district attorney, who remains adamant on taking the case forward,” a source added.
The source also informed that the AG´s office has asked CIB to provide the call details of officials concerned since the beginning of the case.
The source further said that the district attorney was pressed not to proceed with the Thapa murder case. But, Public Prosecutor Dambar Kafle had already made up his mind to take the case forward as the statement of the main accused, Lachhiram Ghartimagar, was recorded in his presence.
Kafle had asked for a written order with the reason for stopping the case, stating that it could not be dismissed as the guilty had already conceded the crime in his statement.
Attorney General Muti Pradhan was furious with the public prosecutor´s stance.
“At first, a case dismissal was attempted after threatening Kafle that he would lose his job if he continued his non-cooperative attitude. Now, they are preparing to blame Kafle for leaking confidential information to the press after asking for call details,” said a police officer watching the case closely.
The AG´s office has been suspecting the public prosecutor´s office and the district police office of being behind leaks of confidential ´official´ information to the public.
With the call details, it will be easier for the AG´s office to level accusations of leakage of information and breach of confidentiality.
With information on call details being sought by the AG´s office, local policemen are also frightened. “Our phones also might have been tapped,” a police officer said.
District Attorney Kafle said he did not have any information about the AG´s office asking for his call details.
Kafle further said he had no fear even if his call details were being studied as he had done nothing illegal or against the essence of jurisprudence.
Meanwhile, Dailekh District Attorney´s office on Sunday has received the AG office directive not to proceed with the Thapa case.
The letter drafted four days ago was not delivered to the district attorney´s office as its fax machine was not working. So, the AG´s office had sent the letter to Surkhet Appellate Court instead.
According to Inspector Binod Sharma, the investigating officer in the case, the accused will not be released immediately as the court´s deadline for statement recording expires only on Tuesday.
Local journalists organized a half hour sit-in before the appellate court attorney´s office to pile pressure to continue with the case.
The district attorney´s office has approved the recorded statements of only two accused so far. The statements of Lachhiram and Nirak Gharmtimagar have been approved.
The statement of Bir Bahadur KC, recorded amid hue and cry on Thursday, has been shelved without approval. Two more accused, who have been arresrted, are yet to record their statements.
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