KANCHANPUR, March 12: After two cases of destruction of evidence and torture were filed last Wednesday against the police officials involved in the investigation of the Nirmala rape-and-murder case, the District Court, Kanchanpur, on Monday completed recording the statements of six of the eight police personnel who have been accused of the crime.

However, erstwhile chief of the District Police Office, Kanchanpur, Superintendent of Police (SP) Dilli Raj Bista and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) from the Central Investigation Bureau Angur GC evaded contact and were not present at the court to record their statements. The court has issued a warrant against the two officers, directing them to present themselves at the court.

As of Monday, DSP Gyan Bahadur Sethi, inspectors Jagadish Bhatta, and Ekendra Khadka, sub-inspectors Hari Singh Dhami and Ram Bahadur Dhami, and police constable Chadani Saud have attended the court to have their statements recorded. On Thursday, a single bench of Justice Rajendra Kumar Acharya had taken the decision to take the case forward through an initial hearing after which the court statements were recorded.

Registrar of the court Hari Krishna Awasthi informed Republica that the statements of the six officials have been recorded by Thursday. “The court statements of six police officials have been completed, however, the statements of SP Bista and DSP GC have not yet been recorded,” he said. He added that the debate has already been started at the court after the six statements were recorded.

After SP Bista and DSP GC failed to present themselves at the district court, the court has issued a warrant against the duo, instructing them to present themselves at the court within a week. According to Registrar Awasthi, if the duo does not attend the court session within a week, a 35-day warrant will be issued against them. “According to Section 57 of the Criminal Codes, if the accused fails to attend the court in seven days, a warrant is issued on the basis of Section 58 whereby a 35-day search warrant will be issued against the accused,” he said. If the warrant is issued, police will start a search operation to find the accused.

 
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