The Supreme Court has issued an order to furnish reasons for the arrest of Sujit KC, coordinator of the National Democratic Youth Front, a sister organization of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP).
Hearing a habeas corpus petition on Sunday, a bench of Justice Til Prasad Shrestha ordered the authorities to present the detainee in court and also provide reasons for the arrest.
KC was arrested by the Cyber Bureau of Nepal Police on Friday.
Advocate Raj Kumar Shrestha had filed a habeas corpus petition the same day, claiming that police had illegally detained KC.
Superintendent of Police Deepak Raj Awasthi, spokesperson for the Cyber Bureau, said that KC was arrested under Section 47 of the Electronic Transactions Act for spreading rumors on social media.
He also informed that the Kathmandu District Court had already extended KC's remand by five days.
However, he refused to disclose what KC had written or said on social media.
Meanwhile, the RPP has protested against KC's arrest.
Party spokesperson Mohan Kumar Shrestha said that the government has continued its anti-constitutional tendencies by arresting KC for merely expressing his views on social media.
“Arresting coordinator KC for merely expressing his views on social media is a continuation of the government’s authoritarian character, impunity, oppression, and anti-constitutional tendencies,” he said. “The government’s approach has violated existing laws, democracy, and citizens’ rights to freedom of expression. Undemocratic actions under the guise of democracy are not acceptable in any way. We are confident that coordinator KC will receive justice.”
