Murder convict lawmaker Dhungel says he will not go to jail under any circumstance


Maoist lawmaker Balkrishna Dhungel
Murder convict Maoist lawmaker Balkrishna Dhungel Friday said that he will not go to jail under any circumstances despite being convicted by the Supreme Court (SC) in a murder case. He also said that he is ready for any kind of sacrifice instead of going to the jail.

Speaking at a programme organised to inaugurate the golden anniversary of Ghorakhori Higher Secondary School in Okhaldhunga, Dhungel said that some parties want to prove him murderer by sending him to the jail even for a short time but he will never accept to go to the jail. He was present in the programme with party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

“They are forcefully trying to prove me the murderer by sending to jail but I will not go to the jail under any circumstances. I am ready to sacrifice anything against it instead,” he added.

The SC has convicted Dhungel of murdering Ujjan Shrestha of OKhaldhunga. Initially on May 10, 2004, Okhaldhunga district court had found Dhungel guilty of murdering Ujjan Shrestha. Dhungel then moved the Rajbiraj Appellate Court where he was given a clean chit on June 25, 2006, overturning the district court’s verdict. But the SC upheld the life term awarded to Dhungel on January 3, 2010 after Shrestha’s family moved the apex court seeking justice. However, Dhungel has been avoiding arrest till now. Though the coalition government led by Baburam Bhattarai had recommended to President Ram Baran Yadav to grant him amnesty, the recommendation was put on hold after it invited sharp criticism from the opposition parties and rights watchdogs.

Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Dhungel Friday reached Okhaldhunga to attend the programme in helicopter. Speaking on the occasion, Dahal said that peace process was obstructed due to the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML. Nepalnews.com