Arrest Basnet

Even eight days after Republica’s Biratnagar Correspondent Khilanath Dhakal was nearly murdered by Youth Force goons, the mastermind behind the attack Parshuram Basnet is yet to be arrested. Since the attempt on Dhakal’s life on June 5, a lot of water has flown under the bridge making a compelling case for the arrest and trial of Basnet: The victim who managed to save his life by the skin of his teeth has spoken out on what happened during that fateful night; newspapers across the country have written extensively about the incident as well as Basnet’s criminal history; Federation of Nepali Journalists, the umbrella organization of journalists of the country, has laid the blame squarely on Basnet for masterminding the attack after conducting a field study. Yet the police have refrained from arresting him. Let us not live under the illusion that he is “absconding.” If he can talk to the media from his “secret” location, our police must be utterly incompetent not to be able to apprehend him. That certainly is not the case. Instead, this is one clear example of political protection riding roughshod over our law and justice system. What a shame!



In a functional system, Basnet would have been behind bars a long time back. But sadly, bowing to political pressure, the administration in Biratnagar refused to act even when complaints were registered against him. This time around he should have been arrested immediately after his gang’s attempted murder of Abhishek Giri while he was being taken to be presented before a judge on June 1. That was not to be. Dhakal was attacked on Basnet’s instruction for reporting the same attack. Basnet’s non-involvement in the incident can, thus, not be justified by any alibi.



Is the arrest, trial and punishment mechanism only applicable to those without any power and pelf? Isn’t the state equally responsible for protecting the dignity of all its citizens? If it is, why is Basnet not being arrested and tried in a court of law? When even a journalist with the backing of the media fails to get justice, we wonder what happens to the teeming millions who have no backing whatsoever.



Arresting Basnet’s henchmen is not enough. He must be brought to book. In fact, even politicians who harbor relations with criminals and use them as per their liking must be punished. The political-criminal nexus has to come to an end. Nothing would be more unfortunate than letting Basnet off the hook this time. Among other things, it will serve to send out an unfortunate message to many anti-social elements like him that they can get off with anything and everything they want provided they have the political backing. The media must relentlessly keep piling pressure on the government to do the right thing.

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