On September 23, the UCPN (Maoist) suspended Kham and Banjade upon the recommendation of the party´s disciplinary commission headed by Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya. [break]
“The party will soon hold a meeting and decide how to handle the cases. We will conduct a thorough investigation into the charges against them and go ahead accordingly,” said Maoist politburo member Shakti Basnet who is also the member of the party disciplinary commission.
Kham is the prime accused in the murder of Kathamandu-based businessman Ram Hari Shrestha in 2008 and police have issued an arrest warrant against him. Shrestha was allegedly abducted by the Maoist combatants and taken to Shaktikhor cantonment where he succumbed to severe tortures in the hands of the combatants.
Kham has also been accused of looting Chinese Yarchagumba traders from Kathmandu a few months back.
Similarly, Banjade has been accused of being involved in financial irregularities when he was a district in-charge in the past.
The party stated that the action against Kham and Banjade has been delayed due to political uncertainty in the country.
“But it doesn´t mean that we have neglected the cases. We are collecting information on the charges,” said Basnet.
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