Pokhara, 28 November| Police have arrested five individuals, ranging from people with multiple criminal records to a former student leader, in connection with the arson and vandalism at the Supreme Court. Pawan Kumar Bhattarai, SP and Spokesperson for the Kathmandu District Police Range, confirmed that five people have been arrested and are facing legal proceedings. The investigation into the Supreme Court fire and vandalism is being conducted by a joint team from the Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office and the Kathmandu District Police Range. SP Kajikumar Acharya of the Crime Investigation Office stated that the team is utilizing publicly available photos, videos, and CCTV footage for the investigation.
Among the arrested are two individuals previously involved in the ‘Gen Z’ movement and already incarcerated for criminal mischief: 23-year-old Alex Nepali (alias Kumar Parajuli) from Kavre, and 36-year-old Samrat (alias Raju Pariyar) from Lalitpur. Alex was arrested with a police-looted pistol, magazine, and 12 rounds of ammunition, while Samrat has eight previous cases, including attempted murder, against him. Jyoti Thapa Ghatane (28) from Jhapa and Sushil Shrestha (30), alias Brown, from Lalitpur are also in custody at Bhadrakali on charges of criminal offense related to the court’s destruction during the ‘Gen Z’ protests. Furthermore, Bishnu Dhungel, the former Free Student Union President of Nepal Law Campus and a former Maoist affiliate, has been arrested for his alleged role as an accomplice, providing incitement for the burning of the court. The arson at the Supreme Court led to the destruction of critical documents.
