When Dhakal, tired of standing for four hours in the witness box, requested the court to allow him to sit down while recording statement, the court ordered him to appear again on Monday saying "many more questions are yet to be asked". [break]
Judges Giri Raj Poudel and Kumar Chudal had started taking statement from Dhakal last Wednesday at the number three bench. The recording of statement from Dhakal started at 11 am and did not finish until 3 pm on Thursday.
"Honorable judge, I got very tired. It is difficult for me to keep standing. Please, allow me to sit down," Dhakal requested the bench. In response judge Poudel said, "Many more questions are yet to be asked with you. If you are unable to stand, we will stop taking statement for today."
The Appellate Court Bar Association Chapters in Morang and Sunsari had jointly filed a contempt of court case claiming that a news report published in Nagarik daily regarding the release of some people charged with abduction amounted to defamation of the court.
Dhakal was not even allowed to leave the court room during an hour long tea-break. The judge duo had asked Dhakal dozens of questions about the case related to attack at the Morang district court earlier this year, his own abduction and thrashing as well as recent Nagarik report about the release of the abduction-accused.
Advocates Anjan Kumar Dahal, Lila Mani Paudel, Uddhav Chandra Ghimire, Dhruba Ghimire and Sushila Thapa have registered to plead on Dhakal´s behalf. Morang district police chief SP Pradyumna Karki, who also has been accused of contempt of court, had submitted a written statement in the court Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Morang district chapter of Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ), Revolutionary Journalists´ Association, Press Chautari and Nepal Press Union have termed the appeal issued by Nepal Bar Association (NBA) to all advocates to not plead on behalf of Dhakal as something against interim constitution and human rights.
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