KATHMANDU, Sept 1: With the Supreme Court (SC)’s refusal to remove the 30-year service period, a total of 89 officers from the Nepal Police and 16 officers from the Armed Police Force retired together on Saturday. 

They retired simultaneously after the Supreme Court's interim order, which had removed the 30-year requirement, was revoked by the joint bench on Friday.

The joint bench of SC Justices Binod Sharma and Saranga Subedi revoked the interim order issued by Justice Hari Prasad Phuyal last Thursday in response to the government's 'vacate' petition.

With the revocation of this order, 89 officers, including Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Bishnu Kumar KC from the Nepal Police, have retired simultaneously. In the Armed Police Force, 16 officers, including DIGs Abhi Khatri and Durga Bhattarai, have retired. Some of them took leave from their offices last Friday, while others will take leave today.

Since Saturday is a holiday and the 30-year service limit starts on Sunday, their service period has concluded. The Police Act stipulates three conditions for compulsory retirement: reaching the 30-year service period, the age limit, or the end of the service period, whichever comes first. The 89 police officers retired due to the completion of their 30 years of service.

While speaking with journalists at the Ministry of Home Affairs on Friday, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak announced that the draft of a new law to replace the Police Act of 2012 has been approved by the Home Ministry and sent to the Ministry of Finance for agreement. After receiving approval from the Ministry of Finance, the draft will be forwarded to the Ministry of Law. 

Following the Ministry of Law's review, it will be presented to the Council of Ministers. After approval by the Council of Ministers, it will be sent to Parliament for discussion. Once passed by Parliament and certified by the President, the new law will come into effect.

The proposed new law also aims to remove the provision for retirement after 30 years of service. The Home Ministry had filed a 'vacate' petition against Justice Phuyal's order.

After the outgoing Home Secretary and current Chief Secretary Ek Narayan Aryal registered the petition to annul the order on behalf of the government, a bench led by Nahakul Subedi and Binod Sharma summoned both parties and scheduled a hearing for Friday.

With the revocation of Justice Phuyal's interim order, those retiring after completing 30 years of service include Bishnu Kumar KC, who is currently a DIG in the Nepal Police and was recruited as an assistant inspector in August 1994, as well as DIGs Abhi Khatri and Durga Bhattarai from the Armed Police Force, along with various police inspectors.

Among those retiring from Nepal Police are 11 Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs). The SSPs include Traffic Police Chief Jiwan Kumar Shrestha, as well as Rewati Dhakal, Kisan Singh Thapa, Dilli Raj Bista, Bel Bahadur Pandey, Nabinn Raj Rai, Rabi Kumar Paudel, Bir Bahadur Oli, Chandradev Rai, and Rabindra Regmi.

Similarly, Superintendents of Police (SPs), who retired today, include Krishna Prasai, Prem Bahadur Basnet, Rajendra Babu Regmi, Laxmi Raj Adhikari, Devendra Bahadur Pal, Bishnu Hari Koirala, Abadesh Bista Chhetri, Narendra Kumar Karki, Tekunanda Iwa Limbu, Chitra Bahadur Gurung, and Nabin Kishor Pradhan.

Among the retiring Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs) include Shriram Bhandari, Bharat Kumar Shah, Ram Krishna Sapkota, Ganesh Bahadur Shrestha, Bharat Bahadur Chaudhary, Ain Bahadur Mall, Kiran Prasad Neupane, Hom Bahadur Thapa, Manoj Kumar Shrestha, Janak Bahadur Mall, Rajan Kumar Gautam, Mahesh Basnet, Khagendra Prasad Rijal, Bhojraj Pandey, and Lal Bahadur Bam.

DSPs Narayan Bahadur Shrestha, Rakesh Kumar Podar, Govinda Pant, Dalram Tamata, Madan Bahadur Kunwar, Dev Bahadur Kunwar, Hikmat Bahadur Bohra, Anil Kumar Upreti, Shailendra Kumar Khadka, Uddhav Prasad Adhikari, Ram Bahadur Chand, Sujit Kumar Ojha, Phanindra Rana Bhat, Bijay Thapa, and Jamuna Kumari Basnet are also among those retiring today.

Thirty-five police inspectors have also retired today Among them are Yograj Neupane, Shantar Ram Karki, Hira Bahadur KC, Khemraj Kadayat, Saroj Kumar Thakurathi, Jayaram Bant, Bhuwan Bhatta, Krishna Ranamagar, Omprakash Wagle, Bijulnath Yogi, Gindra Bahadur Bogati, Khim Bahadur Gharte Magar, Arjun Prasad Pokhrel, Udayman Dwivedi, Kashiraj Regmi, Harivishnu Dhakal, Rabi Bhushan Prasad Yadav, Rajendra Prasad Yadav, Uday Singh Sijapati, Mohan Thapa, Kalendra Bikram Shah, and Man Prasad Shrestha.

Similarly, Kishan Chand Thakuri, Awadh Kishor Ojha, Bijay Bhandari, Bhim Bahadur Karki, Prem Bahadur Bohra, Narapati Bhatta, Jagat Damai, Meghnath Chapagain, Nilam Bahadur Bhandari, Tirth Bahadur Bhandari, Jagadish Poudel, Gopal Chaalise, and Kamal Acharya have also retired as police inspectors.

Preparation for action against DIG Pokhrel

The Police Headquarters is preparing to take action against DIG Yagya Binod Pokhrel of the Madhes Province. This action is being considered based on complaints that he facilitated smuggling operations in the Tarai Madhes region and received bribes in return. 

A close intermediary of Pokhrel has been arrested, and the Police Headquarters is interrogating the middlemen involved. Following the discovery of smuggling operations through intermediaries and middlemen in the Tarai, the Police Headquarters has initiated an investigation into Pokhrel.

Inspector General of Police Basant Bahadur Kunwar also mentioned a few days ago, without naming anyone, that action would be taken against a certain DIG. Sources claim that evidence of transactions from DIG Pokhrel's own bank account has been found.

Action against DIG Pokhrel was based on the arrest of Jitendra Karna, a middleman from Janakpur. Sources claim that Karna was involved in collecting and disbursing money from smugglers in the name of the DIG. Some middlemen have been summoned to the Police Headquarters for investigation. DIG Pokhrel is set to retire this month.

 
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