KATHMANDU: Chief Justice (CJ) Manoj Kumar Sharma has denied any connection with a person named Inam Sapkota, dismissing media reports linking him to Sapkota as false and misleading.
Issuing a statement on Thursday afternoon, Sharma expressed surprise and dismay over a report published by Diyo Post under the headline, “Chief Justice Sharma and Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) MP Bishwaraj Pokharel’s ‘bribe’ in the US.”
Sharma said he had no involvement in the matters described in the report and denied having any direct or indirect acquaintance or contact with the individuals mentioned.
“I have no direct or indirect acquaintance or contact with those individuals. I have never met them. During the months mentioned in the report—November, December and January—I was not even the Chief Justice,” he said.
He condemned what he described as baseless, false, fabricated and malicious reporting intended to mislead the public.
According to Diyo Post, police arrested and detained Sapkota on suspicion of acting as a middleman. The outlet reported that details of transactions totalling Rs 174,000 for November, December and January were found on Sapkota’s mobile phone. The names Manoj Kumar Sharma (Chief Justice), Bishwa Pokharel of Okhaldhunga and Banshi Dahal were reportedly listed at the bottom of the transaction details.
Sharma reiterated that he had no connection with the transactions or the individuals cited in the report.
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