KATHMANDU: The Office of Kathmandu District attorney has filed a cyber crime case against former Secretary Bhim Upadhyaya.

The Kathmandu District attorney’s office has sued former Secretary Bhim Upadhyaya, on cyber crime allegation seeking a 5 year imprisonment for him. The Kathmandu District Court confirmed the registration.

“The Office of Kathmandu District Attorney has filed a cyber crime case against former Secretary Acharya,” Ananda Shrestha, the registrar at the District Court said.

The office of the attorney has sought 5-year imprisonment against Upadhyaya. He was arrested on cyber crime allegation on April 22.

He is currently in police custody. Kathmandu District Court on Thursday remanded him to three days in custody.

He was arrested by the Central Cyber Bureau of Nepal Police on Wednesday night over cybercrime and presented before the court today.

Upadhyaya was a vocal critic of the government and active in social media slamming leaders and government officials for their wrongdoings.

Upadhyaya has exposed many scams and recently disclosed the recent scam in purchasing medical supplies from China. He had exposed the deal in which the government was found procuring health materials through the OMNI group at the price 10-15 times higher than the market price. The deal was later canceled following after severe criticism.

Upadhyaya had also claimed that the post of some cabinet ministers and Heath Secretary Yadav Koirala was at risk.

He had then a verbal spat with the Health Secretary with the latter accusing him of being involved in corruption in the Melamchi Drinking Water Project.

He was targeted by the government after he started exposing it wrongdoing and was booked for cybercrimes.
Upadhyaya charged for cybercrime

Upadhyaya has been accused of cybercrime for issuing negative comments and messages against the incumbent government through rumors and delusions.

SSP Nabindra Aryal at Cyber Bureau told Khabarhub that an investigation against Upadhyaya has started being based on the Electronic Transaction Act, 2063.

“We have started the investigation against him on Electronic Transaction Act,” SSP Aryal told Khabarhub, “Detailed investigation is yet to be carried. If he is found of violating other laws, an investigation will follow accordingly,” he said.

Cybercrime has been a new weapon for the Nepal Police to suppress the voice of journalists, writers and the general public who come up with investigative and sarcastic content that is intolerant of the government or people associated with it.

People have been often booked for defamation that could have been resolved easily. The Cyber Crime Act is meant for authenticating banking transactions and discourage cybercrime. But it has been frequently used against government critics.

Senior Advocate Dinesh Tripathi says the government has been misusing the legal provision to silence the critics of the government.

“People criticizing the wrongdoings of the government have been targeted and booked. It is the misuse of the law,” he said.