Special Court grants permission to CIAA to keep Paudel duo in custody for seven more days

Published On: January 31, 2024 04:55 PM NPT By: Bhasa Sharma

KATHMANDU, Jan 31: The Special Court has allowed the suspended managing director of Nepal Telecom, Sunil Paudel, and the suspended executive director of Security Printing Center (SPC), Bikal Paudel, to be detained for a second time for seven days.

The 7-day detention permission obtained from the court a week ago was expiring today. Therefore, for a second time, the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) approached the Special Court for extending the deadline.

Last week, the bench of Special Court Chairman and Judge Teknarayan Kunwar, Judges Tejnarayan Singh Rai, Muraribabu Shrestha had allowed the Paudel duo to be detained for investigation.

The Paudel duo insisted that they should not be detained. They claimed that they could not be arrested and that extending their judicial custody was against the law. The hearing was held after the Paudel duo, who were brought to the Special Court, demanded consultations with lawyers and to debate.

Spokesperson Dhan Bahadur Karki has said that the Special Court has allowed them to be detained for the second time for seven days. The CIAA had arrested both of them for investigation last Wednesday.

It is said that an investigation is being conducted by the CIAA regarding the complaint filed against the Paudel duo that they have acquired illegal property. The CIAA claims that both of them have opened accounts in foreign banks without the approval of Nepal Rastra Bank and have been formally appointed as international consultants while serving in Nepal's government service.

Bikal Poudel has also obtained a permanent residence permit in the United States of America. Due to the potential destruction of evidence and the risk of escape, the CIAA said he was taken into custody after issuing an arrest warrant.

"As it appears that there will be a hindrance in the investigation work, an urgent arrest warrant was issued against them on January 24, 2024 and they were taken into custody and further investigation is underway," the CIAA official said.