KATHMANDU, July 5: The government has requested that court hearings in cases related to the September 8 and 9 incidents not proceed until a committee reviews whether the cases should be withdrawn.
The Ministry of Home Affairs sent a request to the Office of the Attorney General, stating that a task force is being formed to study cases filed against individuals accused of involvement in the Gen Z movement and recommend whether they should be withdrawn.
Following the request, the Office of the Attorney General issued a circular to government attorney offices across the country, asking them not to move forward with hearings in pending cases until the task force submits its report. A copy of the letter has also been sent to the Supreme Court.
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Home Ministry Spokesperson Ananda Kafle said the task force will be formed within a few days to examine cases and ongoing investigations related to the September 9 incidents. He said its terms of reference have yet to be finalized.
The government submitted the request to facilitate a pause in court proceedings while preparations for the task force are underway. However, whether hearings are deferred ultimately falls under the jurisdiction of the courts.
Under an agreement reached between the government and Gen Z protesters last December, authorities had agreed to collect details of cases filed against participants in the movement and review them within 15 days. A previous committee led by Gauri Bahadur Karki did not study sub judice cases, citing judicial limitations.
More than 200 people are currently facing cases in various courts over the September 9 incidents. The earlier agreement excluded cases involving murder, organized crime, and other serious offences from any review.
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