SURKHET, Sept 9: The Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) has demanded legal action against personal secretary Prem Budha and press advisor Nandakesh Adhikari of Karnali Province Minister for Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives, Kurma Raj Shahi for threatening a journalist covering the story of the rape-accused minister. A woman and her husband have filed a rape case against Minister Shahi at the District Police Office, Surkhet 

The FNJ has requested the authorities concerned to help create a suitable environment for journalists to do their job and to stop threatening journalists through social media and other broadcast mediums. The federation has also requested security for Journalist Nagendra Upadhyaya and Bishnu Neupane, who were covering the story related to rape-accused Minister Shahi. 

Earlier, Adhikari had threatened to kill the journalists covering the story over a video on social media. 

After continuous threats and vandalism at their homes and offices for covering the rape-accused minister’s case, the federation has formed a ‘Media Mission team’ under the coordination of Treasurer Kalendra Sejuwal and central member Dipendra Sharma.  

The team met with Chief Minister Mahendra Bahadur Shahi, province and district working committee of the federation, rape-accused minister Kurma Raj Shahi, Chief District Office Chhabi Rijal, chief of the National Investigation Office, Surkhet, Jayendra Upadhyaya, and chief of Provincial Police Office, Ganesh Bahadur Ayer.

A video purportedly of Karnali Province Minister for Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives, Kurmaraj Shahi raping a woman has gone viral on social media. The victim and her husband have lodged a rape complaint against Shahi at the District Police Office, Surkhet.

In his defense, Shahi has leveled multiple allegations against the victim’s husband. He has accused the victim’s husband of taking commissions from various individuals, kidnapping his son from Usha Balbatika Secondary School and many other allegations. 

 
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