Four CIB officials feted for success in Ranibari murder probe
KATHMANDU, July 4: Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bamdev Gautam on Friday expressed dissatisfaction over the performance of the police in controlling hooliganism and other crime and sought more robust policing.
Addressing police officials at a function organized at the Home Ministry, Singha Durbar to felicitate police officials involved in the successful investigation of the Ranibari murder case, DPM Gautam urged the police to ponder the growing incidence of crime.
"I have been backing the Nepal Police over the shootout with wanted gangster Dinesh Adhikari aka Chari, but killing one hooligan is not enough," said the deputy prime minister. "Although some lawmakers created a ruckus in parliament, I supported the police in their action, but I have received reports of underperformance by Nepal Police," he added.
He also criticized the police for not moving against personnel that have stood up against him.
Felicitating the CIB officials, he said the criteria of police promotions should be performance, fact-based investigations and salience in the criminal justice system.
IGP Upendra Kanta Aryal said that crime investigation looks glamorous from the outside but the police have been hampered by scarcity of modern investigation tools.
More than 200 detained for Holi hooliganism
As per a cabinet decision, the Home Ministry feted the four police officials with cash prizes and letters of appreciation. The feted four are CIB Director DIG Hemanta Malla, DSP Bhim Dahal, and Inspectors Mahesh Basnet and Dipendra Adhikari. DIG Malla was given a cash prize of Rs 30,000, DSP Dahal Rs 25,000 and the two inspectors Rs 22,500 each, along with the letters of appreciation. DIG Malla said that he would donate his prize to the CIB welfare fund.
The Ranibari murder case remained unsolved for more than 12 years. Hemant Shrestha and his wife Anjali, who were living in rented rooms at the house of Geeta Khadka at Ranibari with their seven-year-old daughter, were killed on July 15, 2002. As many as 15 separate probe panels were formed to crack the case.
Effective justice possible only with scientific investigations: CJ-designate Shrestha
Chief Justice-designate Kalyan Shrestha on Friday said that effective administration of justice can be achieved only through scientific police investigations. Addressing a police workshop on enhancing forensic tools in crime investigations, Justice Shrestha said, "In order to modernize criminal justice and reform the judicial system, police investigation reports should be prepared with the support of modern tools and techniques," he said.
He expressed disappointment over police investigation reports based more on assumptions and evidence that does not support the allegations in question.
"We need tangible reforms in the police investigation system and the science of criminology," he said adding that a team of experts was immediately required to study and suggest comprehensive measures to modernize the forensic labs.
Forensic doctor Harihar Wosti spoke of the need for improving the existing legal provisions and technology as well as greater expertise. .
The late Shrestha couple
