KATHMANDU: Nepal Democratic Party President and Campaigner Siddhartha Gautam has claimed he was illegally put under detention by Nepal Police under the pressure of the Chinese Embassy in Nepal during the recent high-profile Chinese delegation visit to Nepal.
According to Gautam, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Circle, Maharajgunj, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Angur GC, coming under pressure from Chinese entities active in Nepal, detained him in a covert manner when Li Zhanshu, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) of the People’s Republic of China, visited Nepal on September 12.
Gautam said that he was arrested the morning NPC Chairman Li was to arrive for a three-day visit to Nepal. He added said that the DSP GC handcuffed him and took him to jail, stating the police officer was only following orders from his superiors.
Speaking to Khabarhub, Gautam said, “At around 7:30 am on September 12, when I was on a morning walk, plainclothes policemen arrested me and took me to the Maharajganj Police Circle, reasoning they had some work with me. Immediately after reaching the police station, police seized my phone and DSP GC ordered to detain me. They also forced me to sign on a false case of a misdemeanor.”
He added, “They mistreated me by handcuffing me and taking me to prison as if I was a criminal. They only set me free at 8 pm on September 15 after the Chinese delegation had returned.”
Gautam said DSP GC kept me under illegal detention for four days coming under the pressure of China, his subservient nature to Chinese interests and likely personal gain.
“By doing so, DSP GC has mocked the rule of law; one’s constitutional right to move freely; freedom; justice; human rights and democracy.”
He pointed out this incident could lead to the tendency of Nepal Police by repeating such incidents with other pro-democracy activists and campaigners in the future.
Meanwhile, DSP GC told Khabarhub over the phone that Maharajgunj Metropolitan Police Circle had never detained Gautam.
When DSP GC was in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), he had been charged with custodial torture of Dilip Singh Bista, who was wrongly arrested for the murder of Nirmala Panta, negligence in the investigation of the Nirmala case and destroying evidence.
He had also been placed on the absconding list of the court for time being. Kanchanpur District Court released GC after recording his statement for two days and he posted bail of Rs 900,000 at the time.
The court had demanded bail of Rs 500,000 in the case of custodial torture and Rs 400,000 in the case of destruction of evidence from GC.
Though GC was later acquitted by the court, he had been initially released on bail.
Deceased Nirmala Pant’s mother Durgadevi Pant and Khadak Singh Bista, brother of the police announced main accused Dilip Singh Bista, had filed a complaint against eight policemen for negligence and destroying evidence in the Nirmala rape case. The real culprits of the incident have not been identified to date.
District Court Kanchanpur, later, acquitted all the other eight accused policemen, including DSP GC.
After being acquitted, GC submitted an application for reinstatement to the Ministry of Home Affairs. After that, his suspension was lifted.
A few months ago, DSP GC was transferred as chief of the Metropolitan Police Circle, Maharajganj.
Campaigner Gautam said the truth is I was not a threat to Nepal Police but Chinese entities and police were more scared of human rights and democracy.
Stating that either under the pressure or to appease China, DSP GC abused, and handcuffed him, Gautam said police abuse would not cause him to waver from his commitment to human rights and democracy.
The campaigner also requested Khabarhub to inform Inspector General of Police Dhiraj Pratap Singh and Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand about his illegal detention by DSP GC.
With the increase of Chinese influence in Nepal in recent years, complaints regarding Nepal police misbehaving, detaining and threatening Tibetan refugees and those who sympathize with them are on the rise.
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