Monday, 27 January, 2025
logo
MAIN NEWS

OAG challenges Supreme Court verdict by filing review application



oag-challenges-supreme-court-verdict-by-filing-review-application

By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, July 25: The Office of Attorney General (OAG) on Thursday filed a review application against the Supreme Court's (SC) decision to free former Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Ranjan Koirala, who was sentenced to life imprisonment with confiscation of property on the charges of murdering his spouse.
The review application mentioned that laws and precedents established before were not followed in the decision of the apex court to free Koirala.
Deputy Attorney General, Dr. Tek Bahadur Ghimire had filed the review application in the SC.
The review application also asserted that No. 188 of the then Muluki Ain Chapter on court procedure couldn’t be used while reducing the sentence of the former DIG.
Likewise, since Koirala had refused the charges made on him during the court hearing, his punishment could not be reduced, stated the review application.
The review application mentioned that the SC's decision had not established a clear basis and reason to reduce murderer Koirala's punishment. The degree of discretionary power used by the justices while giving verdict was also against the prevailing laws and precedent, the review petition cited.

In the SC's decision, the precedent established by the 'Government of Nepal vs. Sher Bahadur Basnet et.al' was not followed, alleged the review petition. The precedent has said that the basic principles of sentencing could not be taken lightly by judges while using their discretionary power. The use of discretionary power shouldn’t be prejudicial to the lawful intent, said the precedent.
On the basis of a verdict of the apex court on July 18, 2020, Koirala was freed on Thursday morning after serving eight years and six months of imprisonment.
Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher JB Rana and Justice Tej Bahadur KC of the Apex Court gave the verdict to slash his lifetime imprisonment to eight and a half years.  
He was sentenced lifetime imprisonment upon the order of the then Appellate Court, Patan, and the District Court of Kathmandu on January 22, 2012.
Meanwhile, youth demonstrated at Maitighar on Friday, demanding impeachment against Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher JB Rana for the verdict on Koirala’s case.