Chief District Officer (CDO) of Kathmandu Laxmi Prasad Dhakal said that his office has no record of Shah getting a license for any firearm. “I scanned the records today but could not find any such weapon licensed to him,” he said.[break]
Legal possession of pistol is very rare in Nepal as the Arms and Ammunition Regulations 2028 BS do not include this weapon under the categories of arms that a person can possess under license from the chief district officer (CDO). The categories allowed are shotguns, muzzle-loaders, airguns and 22-bore rifles.
The government, however, can authorize through a cabinet decision a person considered facing ´extreme security threats´ to possess a pistol. In case of former royalty, there has not been any such decision.
Shah has admitted in a press statement Sunday midnight that he fired in the air at Tiger Tops premises with a pistol following an altercation with Rubel Chaudhary, the Bangladeshi son-in-law of Deputy Prime Minister Sujata Koirala.
According to officials at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA), royalty would not need a license to possess any weapon whatsoever during the monarchy era. “After the abolition of monarchy, the government had to recover all weapons possessed by royalty but could also license them as per the law if needed,” officials added.
Some former royals who appear to have taken weapons licenses from Kathmandu District Adminstration Office during the monarchy era are found never to have renewed the licenses, officials added.
Meanwhile, Home Ministry officials say though the registered weapons at the arsenal inside the Narayanhiti Royal Palace were taken under control by Nepal Army after the abolition of monarchy, the personal weapons held by the royal family members remain unaccounted for so far. Royal family members had taken various sophisticated small arms including pistols for their personal security.
“The personal weapons are meant for personal security. They are meant to be used when there is physical attack and life is in danger,” argued Secretary Moda Raj Dotel, who served at Home Ministry in the capacity of the chief of Peace and Security Division and Chief District Officer (CDO) in the past.
Shah, who had reached the hotel at Chitwan National Park for a four-day stay to celebrate his daughter´s birthday, had fired his revolver on Saturday midnight while drinking with a group including Chaudhary. Chaudhary had reached the place with his wife Melani and son Mehil on Saturday.
Govt forms probe
The government has formed a three-member panel led by Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Ganga Prasad Pandey to investigate the incident. The panel includes Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rana Bahadur Chand and Assistant Investigation Director Arjun KC.
MOHA said in a statement on Monday that it was determined to take action against anybody who violates the law.
Meanwhile, Nepali Congress (NC) has demanded that the government book former crown prince Paras Shah, who opened fire at son-in-law of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala at Chitwan, Saturday night.
Issuing a press statement, NC President Sushil Koirala said the party is taken aback by the government´s failure to arrest the guilty despite the fact that Paras himself admitted the wrongdoing. “Nepali Congress strongly demands that the government immediately arrest him and initiate legal action to make sure similar incidents do not repeat in future,” said the statement.
President Koirala also held a meeting with the Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal Monday morning to discuss taking action against Paras.
Paras had opened fire at Rubel Chaudhary at Tiger Top Resort in Chitwan Saturday night. He reportedly opened fire at Chaudhary alleging that his family members had conspired to abolish Nepal´s monarchy.
Chaudhary, a Bangladeshi national, married with Melanie Koirala Jost, whose late grandfather Girija Prasad Koirala led democratic uprising in April 2006 that eventually made Nepal a republic.
Separately, NC Parliamentary Party leader Ram Chandra Paudel also denounced the ´anarchic´ act of the former crown prince. “I strongly demand immediate action against the guilty involved,” Paudel said.
Related story
Man arrested with pistol in Dhangadhi
