DSP at the Area Police Post Kohalpur, Banke Hem Bahadur Shahi will face departmental action after demanding a goat from district treasurer of Nepal Tarun Dal, the youth wing of main opposition Nepali Congress (NC), Keshar Khadka.
The probe committee formed under SSP Nara Bahadur KC has submitted its report to Chief of Province 5 Police DIG Suresh Bikram Shah recommending departmental action against DSP Shahi.
DIG Shah said SP with Banke Police will be instructed to take action against DSP Shahi as per the report. "The report shows that DSP Shahi and Sub-inspector Surendra Kumar Panta demanded goat against the police conduct. We will write to the District Police Office to take departmental action against the duo," DIG Shah told Setopati.
Police Regulation prescribes warning, freezing grade or promotion, and even demotion by a rank under departmental action depending on the degree of offense.
The police headquarters or provincial (erstwhile regional) office generally transfers police personnel embroiled in such controversy as part of internal action but DSP Shahi has yet to face such action.
The report states that SI Panta first called Tarun Dal treasurer demanding a goat before Dashain and later passed the phone to DSP Shahi who asked for a goat stating he has to throw a party for those under him the next day.
The audio record of that phone conversation was made public almost a month later after Nepalgunj chief of Tarun Dal Sandip Jung Shah was arrested from Namaste Village Resort at Ganapur of Janaki rural municipality 6 in Banke at eight October 31 night with an American pistol and bullets.
DSP Shahi had threatened to pierce Khadka's thigh (with bullets) after the audio recording became public.
The probe committee had been given mandate of investigating demand of a goat by DSP Shahi and recovery of the pistol from Tarun Dal leader Shah, according to DIG Shah.
The probe committee has concluded that Kohalpur Police completed due procedures in arrest of Tarun Dal leader Shah, and that the pistol belonged to Shah and was not planted as he has been claiming.
The Banke District Court on Monday sent Shah to jail for the course of his court trial.
Tarun Dal treasurer Khadka, meanwhile, has been arrested from Kathmandu by the Metropolitan Police Crime Division Monday night. He was accused of attacking Lokendra Shahi with a khukuri on October 13 and was absconding.
