KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court has ordered for the submission of the verdicts of the District Court of Dailekh, the then Appellate Court of Surkhet and the Supreme Court, to conduct further hearing in a fraud and forgery case against the Minister of Physical Infrastructure of Karnali Province Amar Bahadur Thapa.
A division bench of Justices Deepak Kumar Karki and Nahkul Subedi on Sunday ordered to expedite the original documents of June 28, 1990, decision of Dailekh District Court, and December 21, 1993, decision of the then appellate court in Surkhet. Similarly, the Supreme Court has also ordered to submit the original documents of the Supreme Court’s September 18, 2000, verdict on the same case. Alleging him guilty of forgery, Supreme Court had announced six months imprisonment and fine of Rs 25 then.
Journalist Suryamani Gautam had filed a writ petition objecting to Thapa’s appointment as minister as he was found guilty of criminal offense.
Earlier, a single bench of Justice Nahakul Subedi, on May 30, had called for a written reply from Minister Thapa and the Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers to decide on interim order on June 13.
The division bench of Justices Karki and Subedi on Sunday ordered Thapa to include his writ petition filed against CPN-UML’s decision to dismiss him from the post of province lawmaker with other documents to be filed in the court.
A case of forgery was filed against Bhes Bahadur Thapa, Ammar Bahadur Thapa and Bir Bahadur Singh of Dailekh on April 24, 1988, for tampering with government documents and seals.
Although the Land Revenue Office, Dailekh had not assessed the value of the house and land, forging the government documents and seals they had submitted an assessment report of Rs. 170,000 on February 8, 1987.
Bhes Bahadur and Ammar Bahadur Thapa of Dailekh were accused of tampering with government documents and seals. In that case, the Dailekh District Court, on June 28, 1990, had announced a fine of Rs 8,500 to Thapa.
Thapa had reached the appellate court in Surkhet against the district court’s order. The appellate court, on December 21, 1993, had reversed the decision of the district court and divided the imprisonment and fine among two persons.
Still unsatisfied at the appellate court’s verdict, Thapa, had appealed to the apex court.
After hearing the case, the Supreme Court had sentenced Bhesh Bahadur Thapa to one year imprisonment and ordered a fine of Rs. 50 and Ammar Bahadur Thapa was given six months imprisonment and a fine of Rs 25.
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