Dr Govinda KC, who has been on fast-unto-death for the past five days demanding resignation of Chief Justice (CJ) Gopal Parajuli among others, has agreed to end his fast on Saturday.
Dr KC has signed a five-point agreement to that regard with a team led by Health Minister Deepak Bohara that reached the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) where Dr KC is fasting Friday night. Minister Bohara had urged Dr KC to end his fast pointing that the Supreme Court (SC) has ordered that educational and citizenship certificates be produced before the Apex Court, and the issue will be investigated.
The team that also included Govinda Raj Pokharel and Swornim Wagle had reached the TUTH premises at 7:30 in the evening.
The government will form the recommendation committee as per clause 23 of the Medical Education Ordinance within seven days to complete the Medical Education Commission as per clause 5 of the ordinance, according to the agreement signed with Dr KC.
The government will also instruct the Institute of Medicine (IOM) through Chancellor of the Tribhuvan University (TU) to give continuity to appointment of Dr Jagadish Agrawal as IOM Dean as the SC verdict on Sunday for reinstatement of Dr Shashi Sharma as IOM dean for four days had itself stated "As far as appointment of the recently appointed Prof Dr Jagadish Prasad Agrawal is concerned, we cannot speak on his appointment through this case as there are no grounds to establish that his appointment is illegal."
Dr KC, who was arrested for contempt of court case on Monday, was released on date on Wednesday by a joint bench of justices Purushottam Bhandari and Bam Kumar Shrestha.
The bench has also asked for the file about CJ Parajuli's citizenship certificate and educational certificates as demanded by Dr KC while recording his statement to the SC. The bench has also asked for the file of the verdict given on Dr Shashi Sharma's petition on Sunday.
Dr KC, who started his 14th fast-unto-death for dismissal of CJ Parajuli on Monday, was arrested by the police Monday evening after the SC ordered his arrest for contempt of court. He was produced before the court Tuesday morning as ordered by the SC.
A single bench of Dambar Bahadur Shahi, hearing a contempt of court case against Dr KC that was presented to the bench by the SC itself after processing a memo (tippani) on Monday, ordered the police to arrest Dr KC and produce him before the court at nine Tuesday morning stating that through his press statement against the court’s verdict, he made indecent, slanderous and contemptible remarks against the judicial system of Nepal, judiciary and justices in a way that the general public can be misled.
The Administration of Justice Act mentions the action against contempt of court. Clause 17(1) of the Act states that the SC can take action for contempt of court if someone obstructs delivery of justice by the SC or the courts under it, or defies the court’s verdict. Dr KC can be jailed and fined if he is found guilty of contempt of court as per clause 17(4) of the Act.
Dr KC can apologize to the court after arrest. The SC can put action against him on hold if it is satisfied with the apology. Dr KC can apologize even after the court finds him guilty. The SC can order to not implement the jail sentence and fine against him if it is satisfied with the apology.
Dr KC earlier on Monday had started the fast against the SC’s order to reinstate Dr Sharma as dean of IOM under TU.
The senior orthopedic surgeon at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) had started the hunger strike after organizing a press conference.
The joint bench of Chief Justice Gopal Parajuli and Justice Dipak Kumar Karki, after conducting the final hearing of the writ petition filed by Dr Sharma four years ago demanding his reinstatement, on Sunday had ordered his reinstatement for four days if he so wishes.
“I am staging the hunger strike against the chief justice,” Dr KC said in the press conference.
“Now our judiciary does not give justice, rather it sells it. It is now under the command of the group that punishes honest, and helps protect the corrupt and criminals. There is no alternative to fighting with the root of the problem in such situation created to cover up the judicial crime and to fulfill personal interests at a time when laws and rules should be followed. So there’s no alternative to fighting against corrupt and Mafia-guided only to save the judicial dignity,” Dr KC further said.
