KATHMANDU: Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana has said that he has not put pressure on Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba to make Gajendra Hamal a minister in his cabinet.

Speaking to the representatives of Nepal Bar Association (NBA) on Sunday, Chief Justice Rana clarified that he had no role in the controversies related to Hamal.

“My in-laws had a relationship with Hamal till 1983. After the death of my first wife, I got married again. I have not asked any leader to make Hamal a minister,” NBA General Secretary Lila Mani Poudel said, quoting the Chief Justice, “Rather I requested not to make Hamal a minister after the news broke in the media.”

It was rumored that Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba had appointed Nepali Congress leader Hamal, who is not active in politics, as the Minister of Industry and Supplies under the pressure of Chief Justice Rana.

Hamal resigned within three days after wide criticism against him.