"Rohit Koirala and Manoj Rai attacked Dhakal for writing news and Dhakal had not written against the duo. He had written against Basnet," an officer with Morang Police said. "The assailants had asked Dhakal why he wrote against Basnet. This also easily links Basnet with the case," the officer explained. The officer, however, said Koirala and Rai have been very careful while giving statements and they have not taken Basnet´s name.[break]
Police claimed investigations show the genesis of June 5 attack on Dhakal in the attack on jailbird Avishek Giri at the court premises by Basnet´s henchmen four days earlier. Rai has also named central member of the All Nepal National Free Students´ Union (ANNFSU) Osim Alam in his statement to the police and the government attorney. "I asked Alam about the events after the attack and fled as he said police will arrest me," the officer quoted Rai as saying.
Assistant District Attorney Punya Prasad Pathak said the statements of victim and eyewitnesses carry greater weightage than those arrested and hence the chargesheet would be prepared analyzing the statement of Dhakal and other supporting facts.
Dhakal had issued a statement a few days ago saying that Basnet had threatened him at the CPN-UML party office where he had gone for a news report. The fact that the assailants had chided him repeatedly for reporting against Basnet establishes the involvement of Morang Youth Force Chairman. An officer involved in the investigations said inspector Durga Regmi, who had rushed for Dhakal´s rescue, will also be questioned.
The police intensified investigations after statements of the arrested duo were taken and would now send a file to the attorney´s office with recommendation on the charges to be slapped against the accused. The attorney´s office, which has to file chargesheet within 25 days of the arrest, will file the chargesheet after receiving the file from the police.
Morang Chairman of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) Bikram Niroula filed an attempted murder case against absconding Basnet and the duo the day after the attack. The accused can get anything from 5-12 years if proven guilty.
The police said Basnet, who had immediately taken responsibility for the court attack, will also be charged for the attack on Giri.
Four more cops under the scanner
Police have initiated investigations against four more police personnel after the nexus between Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sahakul Thapa and the mastermind of the attack Basnet came to light. Sub-inspector with Morang Police Subhash Khanal, two head constables, and an orderly have been summoned by the police headquarters for investigations, Police Spokesperson Navaraj Dhakal confirmed.
SP Pradumna Kumar Karki said a new strategy was being employed to nab Basnet after he managed to flee due to leak of information pertaining to police strategy. Meanwhile, the police probe panel is continuing investigation against DSP Thapa.
Related story
UML forms team to probe intra-party betrayal during local polls
