Roshan Sedhai

The government has decided to dole out Rs 150,000 in compensation to Sita Rai who was robbed by the officials of the Department of Immigration and subsequently ‘raped’ by a police constable. A Cabinet meeting on Thursday also decided to take stern action against the accused. 

“All the ministers have agreed to mete out severe punishment to the accused. However, we cannot do anything now except to wait for the court verdict,” said Cooperative Minister Ek Nath Dhakal. Although the minister did not reveal the nature of action, he said the guilty, including the section officers, will be punished. 

The relief announcement comes a day after Chief Secretary Leela Mani Poudyal met the victim. He had pledged to punish the culprits. However, the government so far has not taken any action against the two officers except suspending them for two months.  

Sita, a native of Bhojpur, had lodged a complaint last Sunday at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) against Somnath Khanal, a first class senior non-gazetted officer and the constable, Parshuram Basnet, accusing them of robbing her of Rs 218,000 at the airport on November 21.

Based on a report prepared by a joint secretary-led probe panel, the MoHA on Monday had suspended other section officers Ram Prasad Koirala and Tika Pokharel for their involvement in the case.  Although Basnet and Khanal are in the police custody, two officers are still at large. According to a ministry source, Koirala and Pokharel will face a fraud charge. The victim has pressed the government to charge the officers on a case of abuse of authority.  

Meanwhile, the public and human rights activists staged a sit-in protest in front of Singha Durbar on Thursday demanding justice to the victim. They have called on the government to make public the government-formed panel’s report. The agitators have prepared a petition letter and are scheduled to submit it to Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai on Friday morning. Commoners have been requested to turn up at Baluwatar to express solidarity with their campaign.

Published on: 28 December 2012 | The Kathmandu Post