KATHMANDU, Dec 14: Nepali Congress (NC) leader Bal Krishna Khand will not be released today even though Patan High Court ordered the government to release him on bail of Rs 3 million.

Earlier today, the Patan High Court ordered the release of former Home Minister Khand, who was serving a jail term in connection with the fake Bhutanese refugee scam, on bail.

The High Court overruled the order given by the Kathmandu District Court that Khand should be sent to prison and ordered his release on bail.

Judge Krishnaram Koirala supported the opinion expressed by another Judge Janak Pandey earlier that Khand should be released on bail of Rs 3 million. With his opinion, the district court's order was annulled.

Earlier, there was a difference of opinion between two judges in the High Court. Judge Pandey gave the opinion that Khand should be released on bail, while another Judge Prakash Kharel expressed the opinion that he should be sent to prison.

After the opinions of the two judges differed, the petition given by Khand for the opinion of the third judge was submitted to the bench of the third judge, Koirala, on Thursday. Khand can appeal to the Supreme Court against this High Court order.

On December 15, the Patan High Court ordered that half of the 20 accused who appeared in court should be released on bail or released from prison. Out of the 20, only in the case of Balakrishna Khand, the two judges had a difference of opinion.

Ten of the 30 accused in the fake refugee case have not appeared in court and are still on the run. Former Home Minister Khand has been in prison since his arrest last May.

 
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