KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court (SC), in its ruling on the case concerning the release of murder convict Yograj Dhakal ‘Regal,’ has declared the presidential pardon and special privileges granted by the cabinet as incompatible with the principles of the rule of law.

The full court of the Supreme Court stated that granting amnesty to a murder convict while the case is still under consideration does not fall within the jurisdiction of presidential pardon.

On the occasion of Constitution Day, President Ramchandra Poudel had granted amnesty to Regal on September 20.

Dhakal was serving a sentence for the alleged murder of Chetan Manandhar from Nepalgunj.

Chetan’s ex-wife, Bharati Sherpa, challenged the President’s decision through a writ petition filed with the Supreme Court.

The verdict, issued by a Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice Ishwar Prasad Khatiwada, Justices Sapana Pradhan Malla, and Kumar Chudal on November 2 last year, ordered the arrest of Regal.

The complete text of the verdict has been recently made public.