Maoist leader Bal Krishna Dhungel was today arrested in a murder case dating back to the Maoist insurgency in Nepal, triggering protest by his party which alleged that it is against the 2006 peace agreement.
A team of Nepal Police Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) arrested CPN (Maoist Centre) leader Dhungel from his rented room in Lalitpur and presented him before Kathmandu District Court in Babarmahal.
The court sent him to Dillibazaar prison. He has to spend over 12 years behind bars.
The Supreme Court had convicted Dhungel for the 1998 murder of Ujjan Kumar Shrestha and ordered life term with confiscation of property.
The Okhaldhunga District Court in 2004 had convicted Dhungel for the murder and sentenced him to life imprisonment, but in 2006, the Rajbiraj Appellate Court gave him a clean chit.
The apex court in 2010 overturned Rajbiraj Appellate Courts decision and upheld the district courts verdict.
The Baburam Bhattarai government in November 2011 had recommended presidential clemency for Dhungel, but it was rejected by the court.
Despite the Supreme Court order, Dhungel had been walking free, largely due to the protection from his party.
The arrest comes after a contempt of court writ was filed at the SC against Inspector General Of Police (IGP) Prakash Aryal.
CPN (Maoist Centre) demanded release of its leader, stating that his arrest was against the peace agreement signed in 2006 to end the 10-year armed insurgency and bring the rebels to mainstream politics.
"As per the spirit of peace agreement, the cases dating back to the war in the country are to be settled through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission," party spokesperson Pampha Bhusal said and demanded his immediate release.
Then rebel Maoist cadres under the command of Dhungel had murdered Shrestha on June 24, 1998. Later, Shresthas brother Ganesh Kumar filed a complaint at the District Police Office, Okhaldhunga.
The Maoist cadres on September 24, 2012 also killed Ganesh Kumar accusing him of filing complaint at the District Police Office.
Based on the complaint, the Okhaldhunga District Court in 2004 had convicted Dhungel of the murder. Following the verdict, Dhungel spent some time in jail. He was on the run since then.
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