KATHMANDU, August 8: The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has condemned the threatening to journalist Dilip Poudel of Nagarik Daily by the Managing Director of state-owned Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC), Gopal Khadka for reporting on corruption.
In a statement issued on Monday, the IFJ has strongly condemned the incident and has demanded that the government take strong action against the official of the NOC for the sake of press freedom.
Civil society demands action against Khadka
The world's largest organization of journalists has stated that such threats not only undermine the press freedom and democracy but also have a chilling effect on the critical voice of the media.
MD Khadka, who has been accused of misappropriating millions of rupees bleeding state coffer, had threatened Nagarik Daily journalist Paudel on August 4, saying that he damaged his career after Public Account Committee of the Parliament decided to recommend the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) to take action against him.
On July 17, Pudel had published news reports headlined ‘Rs 670 million misappropriated while procuring land worth Rs 1.5 billion in Nagarik Daily.
Finance Committee of the Parliament, Industry, Commerce and Consumer Welfare Committee and CIAA jointly started investigation into the case following the publication of the news in Nagarik Daily.
