KATHMANDU, Jan 23: Fugitive Maoist Kali Bahadur Kham, the main accused in the murder of Kathmandu businessman Ram Hari Shrestha, has said his party acquitted him of the murder charge before inducting him to the central committee earlier this month. A government-formed judicial committee has recommended legal action against the Maoist commander besides three other combatants.
In an exclusive interview with myrepublica.com at an undisclosed location in Kathmandu recently, he said an “investigation” by the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) found him innocent in the Ram Hari incident. He alleged Maoist combatants Keshav Adhikari and Gangaram Thapa killed Shrestha.
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Kham is still wanted by police, though, and Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister had said that the police has been searching for six suspects, including Kham, over Ram Hari´s murder. [break]
On July 16, a judicial probe committee headed by former Supreme Court Justice Rajendra Bhandari submitted report to the then Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, recommending legal action against nine Maoist cadres, including Third Division Commander of the Maoists, Kham, brigade commander Govinda Bahadur Batala, combatants Adhikari and Thapa.
Bikash Karki/MyRepublica.com
On integration of Maoists combatants into Nepal Army, Kham said the Maoist combatants disqualified by UNMIN on the ground of age have now become mature so all the Maoist combatants should be unconditionally integrated with the national army. He also warned his party leaders against enforcing the choice doctrine on Maoist combatants."We will revolt if our leadership signs any agreement against our spirit. We want integration of all PLA combatants with the national army without any condition."
(Read fuller interview in our ´Interview´ section.)
