Former SP Bista surrenders to court

Published On: March 20, 2019 04:00 AM NPT By: DIL BAHADUR CHHATYAL

KANCHANPUR, March 20: Sacked Superintendent of Police (SP), Dilli Raj Bista, surrendered himself before the Kanchapur District Court (DC) on Tuesday so as to record his statement on the Nirmala Panta rape and murder case.

Bista has been accused of destroying evidences and torturing the suspects of the case. The court started recording his statement on Tuesday itself. Inspector Dinesh Acharya informed Republica that former SP Bista has been kept under custody at the District Police Office (DPO), Kanchanpur.

After remaining out of contact for long, Bista finally surrendered to the court on Tuesday, according to Registrar of the district court, Hari Krishna Awasthi. "The court started recording his statement on Tuesday which will continue on Wednesday as well," said Registrar Awasthi, adding, "He was sent to the DPO after recording his statement on Tuesday."

After the recording of his statement, preliminary investigation will begin on whether to keep Bista in custody or release him on normal bail. However, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), Angur GC is yet to present himself before the court.

Earlier, the district court had issued an arrest warrant against then SP Bista and suspended DSP GC. On March 6, the Office of the Attorney General had registered an FIR against eight police personnel including former SP Bista and DSP GC for tampering evidences and torturing suspects.

On March 14, six police personnel who surrendered themselves to the court were released on bail following a court order. DSP Gyan Bahadur Sethi and Inspector Ekendra Bahadur Khadka were released after posting a bail of Rs 500,000 each for torturing the suspects and Rs 400,000 for destroying evidences. They both had to submit Rs 900,000 each.

Likewise, Inspector Jagdish Bhatta had to pay a bail amount of Rs 400,000 and Sub-Inspector Hari Singh Dhami paid Rs 350,000 for destroying evidence. Similarly, Sub-Inspector Ram Bahadur Dhami and Constable Chandani Saud posted Rs 300,000 and Rs 250,000 each for their release on bail.

Two months ago, Nirmala's mother Durgadevi Panta had filed a complaint against these eight police personnel following which Bista and Inspector Khadka were sacked from their posts.