The Supreme Court has ordered the release of Rabindra Mishra, senior vice-chairman of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP).
Hearing a habeas corpus petition filed on behalf on Mishra, a bench of Justices Kumar Chudal and Til Prasad Shrestha on Friday ordered Mishra’s release on personal guarantee, the court’s information officer Nirajan Pandey said.
According to Pandey, the court ordered that Mishra be released on his lawyers’ guarantee.
"A writ of habeas corpus has been issued. He has been ordered to be released on the guarantee of his legal counsel," he said.
Mishra's wife Sarika Karki had filed the petition in the Supreme Court on Tuesday, alleging that the police had detained him illegally.
Responding to the writ petition on Wednesday, Justice Sunil Kumar Pokharel's bench had ordered the defendants to furnish the reason for Mishra’s arrest. It had also ordered the authorities to present Mishra before the court.
The government attorney had produced Mishra before the Supreme Court on Thursday. However, no hearing took place on the petition at the time.
Mishra, also the member secretary of the “Joint People's Movement Committee” led by Nawaraj Subedi, was arrested on March 28.
On that day, royalists held a protest led by Durga Prasai, who was designated “People’s Commander” by the Subedi-led committee, in Tinkune of Kathmandu.
The protest turned violent, resulting in the deaths of two people, and arson attacks on private homes, government vehicles, party offices, and a herb processing center.
Both the RPP and the Subedi-led committee had expressed their support for the protest organized by Prasai.
The same night, police arrested Mishra, RPP General Secretary and lawmaker Dhawal Shumsher Rana, and others in connection with the incident. Prasai was nabbed from Assam, India, on April 11 and brought to Nepal.
Police are investigating them for offenses against the state, organized crime, and criminal mischief. Police and the government attorney have already recorded Mishra’s statement.
Mishra’s wife said in the habeas corpus petition that he was not released on personal guarantee even after his statement had been recorded.
RPP General Secretary Rana, also a member of the movement mobilization committee under the Subedi-led committee, has already been released on personal guarantee for medical treatment.
On March 28, a protest was held at Tinkune, Kathmandu, called by 'Janak Commander' Durga Prasai, appointed by the 'United People’s Movement Committee,' demanding, among other things, the restoration of the monarchy. However, the protest turned violent, resulting in the deaths of two people.
That same night, the police arrested senior vice-president Rabindra Mishra, General Secretary and lawmaker Dhawal Shumsher Rana, among others. Prasai was arrested by police on Chaitra 29 from Assam, India, and brought to Kathmandu.
The police are investigating them on charges of crimes against the state, organized crime, and criminal offenses. The police and government lawyers have already recorded Mishra's statement.
Despite his statement being recorded, Mishra was not released on bail, prompting his wife to file a habeas corpus petition in the Supreme Court. Dhaval Shamsher Rana, however, was released on bail for medical treatment.
