The District Police Office, Parsa on Monday had issued arrest warrant against Minister Sah accusing him of orchestrating the murder of then Hindu Yuba Sangh Chairman Kashinath Tiwari one year ago. The district police on Tuesday submitted a charge sheet at the District Public Prosecutor´s Office against Minister Sah and his aide Siyaram Kushwaha, and Aman Kushwaha.[break]
"We didn´t register the case as we found the charge-sheet weak and incomplete," said District Public Prosecutor Om Prasda Aryal, adding, "I have instructed the police office to complete the charge sheet. We will register the case once all required evidences are incorporated in the charge sheet as instructed."
Police had found Minister Sah guilty in the murder on the basis of statement made by Aman Kushwaha, who was arrested in connection with the murder.
"Aman´s statement is not enough to charge Minister Shah in the murder charge. Additional as well as solid evidences are missing in the charge sheet prepared by police," Aryal said. The Parsa district court has already remanded Aman Kushwaha to six days in police custody.
"We arrested Aman Kushwaha on the basis of the complaint filed by the victim´s family," said SP Ramesh Kharel, the chief of district police office, adding, "We decided to charge Minister Sah on the basis of the statement of Aman, who said Sah designed the murder.
Police had found Minister Sah guilty in the murder of Kashinath Tiwari on the basis of statement made by Aman Kushwaha, who was arrested in connection with the murder.
The district police office source said they had also attached a copy of arrest warrant along with the charge sheet. "We have also attached the copy of arrest warrant issued by our office against the minister but we are surprised as to why the public prosecutor refused to register the case," the source said.
Aman had also accused Minister Sah´s aide Siyaram in the murder. Aman had told police that it was Siyaram who opened fire at Tiwar as per Sah´s instruction.
"I had no involvement other than giving a lift to Siyaram on my bike," the source quoted Aman as telling police, adding, "It was Siyaram who opened fire at Tiwari." Aman also told police that he had received Rs 200,000 for giving Siyaram lift.
Tiwari had led a protest rally against a general strike called by the UCPN (Maoist) in Parsa one year ago. Immediately after the murder of her husband, wife Babitadevi Tiwari had filed complaint at the police office accusing six persons including Baliram Sah, Jalim Miya and Suresh Patel in the murder. Babitadevi, who began fast on to death from Tuesday, however had not accused Sah in the complaint.
Meanwhile, some lawyers have argued that there is political motive behind not registering the charge sheet against Minister Sah. "The present attorney general, Mukti Pradhan, was appointed by Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai," said a lawyer, adding, "It is obvious that the case couldn´t be registered because of the interference from the attorney general."
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