The single bench of district court judge Bhupendra Prasad Rai heard statements from the accused amid tension created outside the court by Khyati´s sympathizers, and decreed a judicial investigation into separate murder and kidnap charges. The accused are hence being held at Central Jail, Kathmandu.
Public prosecutors have sought life terms with confiscation of property for Pradhan and Shakya. Khyati Shrestha, a 19-year-old student, was killed after her abduction in June.
It is learnt that Biren Shrestha, while making his statement, confessed to the murder after abduction while Merina Shakya denied any involvement except for ´unwittingly´ helping Biren fetch Khyati.
A member of Khyati´s family who attended the hearings said Biren even urged the judge to give him the death penalty. He also appeared protective of Merina, proclaiming her innocence. Merina in her statement claimed non-involvement and attempted to establish this with references to her good family and academic background. She even warned that she would really turn to crime if she is punished despite her innocence.
According to a government attorney attending the hearings, Biren made a straightforward confession before the judge. He said he killed the girl with a sword but did not make "use of sleeping tablets to make Khyati collapse", a detail he had given to police during interrogations.
After the statements of the accused, lasting three hours, the judge heard from two lawyers, Gopal Pokharel and Ranjit Bhakta Pradhananga, appointed by Khyati´s family as well as from the government attorney. The accused duo did not have any lawyer.
Public anger continued to manifest itself in the court area at Babarmahal as it has done every time police produced the accused for legal proceedings. Crowds gathered there since the start of office hours and chanted slogans demanding the death sentence. After the hearings started, some of Khyati´s sympathizers produced chits signed by court officials authorizing their presence at the hearings. But they were denied entry by security personnel. Making this a pretext, the crowds broke window panes and a door at the court building.
As the situation threatened to go out of control, police reinforcements were brought in and mild force was used. During the latter part of the hearings, the court premises were sealed off by more than 100 riot police.
A group of human rights workers staged a demonstration outside the court premises demanding a provision for the death sentence.
Nagarik journo injured
Tension mounted while police tried to take the accused from the court after the hearings. Demonstrators again attempted to vandalize the premises.
Correspondent of Nagarik daily Harihar Yogi and NTV reporter Badri Kaji Gurung, who were covering the proceedings, were injured when the demonstartors pelted stones. At least four police personnel were also injured.
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