A bench of Judges Kumar Chudal and Giri Raj Poudyal initiated the hearings after taking a statement from Dhakal over three days. [break]
Advocates pleaded on behalf of the Appellate Court Bar Association chapters in Morang and Sunsari, which had jointly filed the contempt of court case, argued that Dhakal slighted the public image of the court in filing a news item for Nagarik daily without any evidence for it.
They accused the media outfit of just selling newspapers and not exercising the duty to inform the public.
The advocates insisted that Dhakal should be punished as per the law as he challenged the judiciary in writing news about the court and didn´t apologize despite being given an opportunity to do so while his statement was being taken. Dhakal has been summoned to the court again for Tuesday.
The Appellate Court Bar Association chapters jointly filed the contempt case claiming that a news report headlined ´General [court appearance] date in abduction case´ published in Nagarik daily on December 21 defamed the court. Reporter Dhakal, SP Karki, who was quoted in the report, Nagarik Editor-in-Chief Narayan Wagle, Nepal Republic Media, its Managing Director Binod Raj Gyawali and Director Shova Gyawali were named defendants in the case.
Appellate Court athorities had Dhakal standing for four hours straight while taking his statement, Thursday. When Dhakal, tired of standing, requested the court to allow him to sit while recording the rest of his statement, the court gave him another court appearance date, Monday, saying, "many more questions remain to be asked".
Judges Poudel and Chudal had started taking Dhakal´s statement since Wednesday at bench number three.
The recording of Dhakal´s statement on Thursday started at 11 a.m. and did not finish until 3 p.m. Dhakal got so tired that he could not keep standing any longer.
"Honorable judge, I feel very tired. It is difficult for me to keep standing. Please allow me to sit down," Dhakal asked. In response, Judge Poudel, issuing the Monday date, replied, "Many more questions remain to be asked. If you are unable to stand, we will stop recording your statement for today."
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