KATHMANDU, May 28: Amid protest from the public and various human rights organizations, murder-convict Bal Krishna Dhungel has been granted amnesty. Upon the recommendation from the government, President Bidya Devi Bhandari has granted amnesty to 816 jailbirds including Dhungel marking the Republic Day.

Issuing a press statement later in the evening, on Monday, it has been mentioned that President Bhandari has granted amnesty to 816 prisoners serving their jail term in various prisons across the country according to the article 276 of Constitution of Nepal marking the 11th Republic Day.

The meeting of the cabinet recommended President to pardon 816 jailbirds.

Earlier, the Supreme Court (SC) had directed the government to furnish the original documents on the decision the government is said to have taken for the release of Bal Krishna Dhungel, who is serving a jail sentence after being found guilty on a murder case. 

The division bench of Justices Meera Khadka and Tanka Bahadur Moktan made such direction to submit the original files as the hearing on the case on whether to issue the interim order was not completed on Monday. 

On Thursday, senior advocate Dinesh Tripathi lodged a writ petition at the SC demanding to scrap the 'government's decision' to award amnesty to Dhungel on the Republic Day. 

A single bench of Justice Dipak Kumar Karki on Friday had directed both the sides to appear in the SC within 24 hours, along with the reason to grant amnesty to Dhungel.

 
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