KATHMANDU: The Nepali Congress has demanded that the government provide an official explanation regarding the detention of former chief justice Cholendra Shumsher JBR.
The party raised concerns after conflicting statements emerged from government officials regarding the police action taken at his Maharajgunj residence on Sunday morning.
Congress spokesperson Devraj Chalise stated that the government must clarify the legal basis and justification for the action, noting that it remains unclear whether the former chief justice was arrested or relocated due to security concerns. The party expressed that the contradictory remarks from state officials are a matter of serious concern.
In an official statement, the Congress clarified that while it does not oppose law enforcement or criminal investigations, it cannot accept ambiguous or confusing procedures. The statement read, ‘If the arrest was lawful, necessary, and appropriate, the government must be able to make its clear legal basis and justification public.’
The party emphasized that if the move was prompted by specific security threats, investigative requirements, or other extraordinary circumstances, the state must provide a credible basis for its actions. The Congress further noted that while individuals who violate the law should be investigated fairly based on evidence, an arrest in itself does not constitute proof of guilt.
‘Rule of law is not just about the state applying the law; all state bodies themselves must remain within the limits of the constitution and the law,’ the statement added. The Congress asserted that because the state holds power, its exercise must be transparent, just, and accountable.
