Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Sharma has objected to news reports linking him to an individual named Inam Sapkota, stating that there is no truth to the allegations.
Issuing a statement on Thursday afternoon, Sharma said, "I am shocked and stunned by the news published today in a media outlet called Diyo Post, linking my name as well and carrying headlines such as 'Bribe in America in the name of Chief Justice Sharma and RSP lawmaker Pokharel: Evidence revealed by fixer Inam's mobile phone!'"
Sharma also said that he had no involvement whatsoever with the individuals or events mentioned in the reports.
“I have neither direct nor indirect acquaintance or contact with those individuals. I have never even met them. During the dates mentioned in the report – November, December and January – I had not even become chief justice yet,” he said. “I condemn such baseless, false, and fabricated news disseminated with the malicious intention of misleading the public,” Sharma added.
Diyo Post had published a report claiming that transaction records amounting to Rs 174,000 across November, December, and January had been found on the mobile phone of Inam Sapkota, who was arrested by police and remains in custody on suspicion of acting as a middleman.
According to the report, the names “Manoj Kumar Sharma (Chief Justice), Bishwa Pokharel, Okhaldhunga, and Banshi Dahal” were written beneath the transaction details.
Chief Justice Sharma denied any involvement in the transactions or with the individuals mentioned in the report.
