KATHMANDU, May 2: The Kathmandu District Police is preparing to request an extension of judicial custody for Mahiman Singh Bista, a section officer at the Supreme Court (SC), on charges related to forging and misusing the court’s letterhead to issue an unauthorized letter ordering the arrest of Resham Chaudhary.
Police are pursuing three criminal charges against Bista under Nepal’s Criminal Code: providing false information (Section 84), refusing to assist a public servant (Section 86), and document forgery (Section 276). The District Government Attorney’s Office is finalizing documents to submit to the Kathmandu District Court for an extension of Bista’s remand.
Section 84 prohibits providing false information with intent to prevent or compel a public official from performing their legal duties. This offense carries a penalty of up to one year in prison or a fine of up to Rs 10,000, or both.
SC upholds Resham Chaudhary’s judicial custody
Section 86 makes it a crime to refuse lawful assistance to a public official performing their duty, with penalties of up to six months' imprisonment or a fine of Rs 5,000, or both.
Section 276 pertains to forgery of judicial documents. It carries severe penalties of up to eight years in prison and a fine of up to Rs 80,000.
Bista, who is currently in police custody, appeared at the Kathmandu Police Office on Wednesday with a forged letter ordering Chaudhary’s arrest. Based on that letter, police took Chaudhary into custody and transferred him to Dillibazar Prison. However, he was released within five hours after the letter was confirmed to be unauthorized, and Bista was arrested shortly thereafter.
