Police have arrested journalist Bishwamani Subedi.
Matrika Poudel, editor-in-chief of Nepal Press, said that police arrested Subedi from the publication’s office in Baneshwar, Kathmandu.
According to Poudel, two plainclothes police officers from the Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office arrived at the newsroom and arrested Subedi.
“They apparently took Bishwamaniji away from the newsroom, saying that the ‘sir’ wanted to see him,” Poudel said. “Bishwamaniji is a writer/contributor for Nepal Press.”
Poudel said that Subedi had been taken to the Cyber Bureau and that he was also on his way there.
According to Poudel, police have also summoned Bindu Raj Lamsal, chairman of Nepal E Press Media Pvt Ltd, the company that operates Nepal Press, to the Cyber Bureau.
“The editor-in-chief is the person who should be questioned about a news report,” Poudel said. “But the chairman has also been summoned to the Cyber Bureau.”
Subedi was arrested by a team from the Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office.
Police are preparing to hand him over to the Cyber Bureau.
However, Superintendent of Police Deepak Raj Awasthi, spokesperson for the Cyber Bureau, claimed that Subedi had been taken into custody for discussions regarding a news report about Inspector General of Police Dan Bahadur Karki.
“The matter concerning the IGP is one issue. It is also related to public peace and security, so we have brought him in to discuss what the matter is,” Awasthi said.
Asked why police had arrested Subedi from inside the newsroom instead of contacting him by phone, given that he could have come in voluntarily, Awasthi said, “A team from the Crime Investigation Office went there. I am not aware of the details regarding the matter.”
