KATHMANDU: The Maoist-affiliated All Nepal National Free Students’ Union (Revolutionary) has raised objections over the arrest of its leader and former Free Student Union (FSU) president of Nepal Law Campus, Bishnu Dhungel, who has been named the main suspect in the Supreme Court arson case.
Niroj Shrestha, in-charge of the Kathmandu Valley Special Province Committee of the group, issued a statement on Thursday, criticizing Dhungel’s arrest. He said the detention, based solely on photographs and video clips from September 8 and 9, was unacceptable.
“We demand that only those directly involved in the violent activities of September 9 face legal action. Bishnu Dhungel and other youth-students exercising democratic rights must be released unconditionally,” Shrestha stated. “The state must end arbitrary arrests, political revenge, and intimidation. The government should demonstrate transparency, accountability, and commitment to civil liberties in practice.”
Dhungel was arrested on Wednesday based on statements from two previously detained individuals, Jyoti Thapa Ghatane, 28, from Bhadrapur Municipality-1, Jhapa, and Sushil Shrestha, also known as Brown, 30, from Mahalaxmisthan Municipality-5, Lalitpur. Both were held under extended custody in the criminal disturbance case.
Authorities allege that Dhungel, a leader of the All Nepal National Free Students’ Union (Revolutionary) affiliated with the former CPN-Maoist Centre, actively participated in inciting the crowd that later set the Supreme Court ablaze. Photo and video evidence collected by police reportedly shows Dhungel at the forefront, expressing anger toward the court and judges, which has gone viral on social media.
Dhungel, also a practicing lawyer, had previously won the FSU presidential post at Nepal Law Campus in the 2022 student union elections. Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office (Teku) and Kathmandu District Police Range jointly arrested him from Chitwan after a prolonged investigation.
The revolutionary group has warned the government against politically motivated arrests and demanded immediate, unconditional release of Dhungel and other students not directly involved in the violence.
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