KATHMANDU: The Patan High Court has issued an interim order not to implement the suspension of Kathmandu Metropolitan City’s Municipal Police Chief Rajunath Pandey.
The court order states: “An interim order has been issued under Rule 42(1) of the High Court Regulation, directing the respondents to maintain the current status and allow the petitioner to continue performing duties in his position.”
Pandey had filed a writ petition at the Patan High Court seeking an interim order against his suspension. The order was issued by a division bench comprising Justices Rishiraj Bhandari and Dilliratna Shrestha in Bench No. 9.
Pandey had named the mayor, deputy mayor, chief administrative officer Saroj Guragain, acting head of the Municipal Police Bishnu Joshi, and the municipal executive office as respondents.
Pandey was suspended after allegedly obstructing Chief Administrative Officer Guragain from entering the office on Chaitra 21, 2081 (early April 2025). The incident occurred as Guragain returned from a three-month leave taken following a dispute regarding the approval of Kathmandu View Tower’s building design at Old Bus Park.
When Guragain attempted to resume office duties in Kamaladi, Mayor Balendra Shah reportedly deployed Municipal Police under Pandey’s command to block his entry. Deputy Mayor Sunita Dangol and several ward chairs intervened, allowing Guragain to mark his attendance and resume work, despite police resistance. However, communication between Guragain and Mayor Shah remains severed.
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