“We are ready to face imprisonment even for years if our involvement in the attack is proved,” Panta, president of the Maoist-affiliated All Nepal Hotel and Restaurant Workers’ Union, and central leader of the All Nepal National Trade Union Maoist trade union, said.
Panta and KC, vice president of the Lalitpur chapter of the All Nepal National Communication and Printing Workers’ Union, were released on bail amounting Rs 9,000 each following an order by the Chief District Officer of Lalitpur, Laxshmi Prasad Dhakal, after weeklong police custody. Each will also be required to pay Rs 3,397 to Himalmedia as compensation for the vandalism on December 21.
Buckling to pressure both from protests launched by the Federation of Nepali Journalists, and their party chief and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Panta and KC had gave themselves in to authorities on December 26. Their arrest followed a complaint filed by the publication, accusing them of attacking Himalmedia staff and vandalizing the publication’s office at Hattiban, Lalitpur.
“I am innocent. I ask (authorities) to investigate more into my involvement in the incident,” Panta, pleaded before the Chief District Officer of Lalitpur during a hearing on their case on Thursday.
Similarly, KC, while pleading his innocence, accused Himalmedia of plotting the attack to shadow its act of sacking 18 friends on charges of carrying out trade union activities in the publication. He also expressed his readiness to face punishment determined by the law of the land if his involvement in the attack was substantiated.
Both Panta and KC said the publication accused them of the attack to shadow the issue of sacking 18 of their friends in November last year. However, the publication has continued to maintain that it was targeted for its critical reporting on the wrongful activities underatken by the Maoist trade union in the last edition of its fortnightly publication Himal Khabarpatrika.
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