SC seeks written response from Gagan Thapa in contempt case

KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court (SC) has directed Nepali Congress General Secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa to submit a written response in connection with a contempt of court case filed against him.

The order was issued by a joint bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla and Justice Nityananda Pandey.

The contempt petition was filed on Sunday by advocates Bishal Thapa, Pratibha Upreti, and Anantaraj Luintel following remarks made by Thapa regarding an ongoing case in the Supreme Court.

The remarks were made during a public dialogue titled “Today’s Democracy: Opportunities and Challenges”, organized in Kathmandu on the occasion of Democracy Day.

In his speech, Thapa criticized the Supreme Court for delaying its verdict on a writ petition concerning appointments to constitutional commissions, including the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA).

The Supreme Court has asked Thapa to respond in writing to the allegations of contempt, a move that signals the court’s concern over public commentary on sub judice matters.