Eight days after the incident, police have also claimed that Poudel´s murder was not premeditated.[break]
"Our ongoing investigation could unearth new evidences in future," SP Tarini Prasad Lamsal, chief of Jhapa police, said. "However, our investigation has held Giri as the guilty."
At a press meet on Wednesday, police also claimed that Poudel´s murder had nothing to do with his journalism profession.
Poudel, who was preparing to edit a new local daily newspaper to be published by Giri, was killed at a hotel in Birtamod of Jhapa last week.
Earlier, police had arrested Giri, Somnath Dhakal, the owner of Hotel Purbanchal and Sekuwa Corner where Poudel died, and Dhakal´s wife Manju in connection to the journalist´s murder.
Madan Rai, who originally hails from Panchathar district, was also seen at the hotel before Poudel was killed. Rai had reached the hotel searching for Giri following a heated debate over phone. He has been absconding after Poudel´s murder. Police say Rai´s arrest could shed further light on the case.
According to police, a scuffle broke out between Giri and Poudel after the latter embraced Manju -- the wife of the hotel owner Dhakal.
Police say that the scuffle occurred when Giri forced Poudel to take his hands off Manju. Police also claim that Giri became furious with Poudel when the latter embraced Manju because they were in a secret affair.
Meanwhile, Federation of Nepalese Journalist (FNJ) has asked police to bring out all the details of Poudel´s murder. "Police should not cover up other criminals by showing just one guilty," said Ganesh Pokharel, Jhapa district chapter president of the FNJ.
Related story
President Paudel offers prayers at Krishna Temple
