Former Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) lawmaker Dhaka Kumar Shrestha has been released on a bail of Rs 75,000.
The Kaski District Court on Thursday ordered Shrestha’s release on bail.
According to Deputy Superintendent of Police Basanta Sharma at District Police Office, Kaski, Shrestha was released after posting the bail amount of Rs 75,000 following the court’s order.
Police had arrested Shrestha on September 12 on drug trafficking charge based on the statement of one Prakash Thapa of Pokhara Metropolitan City-4.
The 42-year-old Thapa had been arrested in possession of drugs. During questioning, he had told the police that he had bought the drugs from Diya Pharmacy at Prithvi Chowk, Pokhara-9. The pharmacy is registered in Shrestha’s name.
RSP had expelled Shrestha as the party’s lawmaker and member on April 12 last year after audio recording of him purportedly demanding Rs 20 million from promoter of B&C Medical College Durga Prasai was made public.
Shrestha, who was elected to the House of Representatives (HoR) through the Proportional Representation electoral system, could be heard telling Prasai that the amount was needed to give to RSP President Rabi Lamichhane’s men for Shrestha to become health minister.
The conversation took place at the start of January, as Prasai informed in the audio, when RSP was negotiating in the then ruling coalition also including CPN-UML to get the Health Ministry. Shrestha could be heard telling Prasai that Lamichhane would make him heath minister only if he handed over Rs 20-25 million to Lamichhane's men.
