SC directs SidhaKura news portal to appear with evidences on May 2

Published On: April 30, 2024 09:00 AM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

SidhaKura removes ‘dark file series’ prior to court’s order

KATHMANDU, April 30: The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday directed SidhaKura.com news portal proprietors to appear at the SC at 10:00AM on May 2 along with the evidence regarding whether it should face the contempt of court charge over a controversial news report.

A division bench comprising SC Justices Nahakul Subedi and Tek Prasad Dhungana issued such an order in the name of the news portal's publisher Yubraj Kandel and Executive Editor Nabin Dhungana on the charge of contempt of court.

The online news portal on April 26 broadcast a news report claiming the involvement of SC justices to dismiss over 400 corruption related cases.

The SC has directed to delete the news video within 24 hours and not to produce, publish, or republish any of such contents until the final decision is taken in the petition.

Drawing the attention of the media not to broadcast any of the contents directed by the SC to delete, the bench has asked the SC Registrar to issue a public notice and write to the Press Council Nepal and Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) for its implementation.

Likewise, the SC has concluded that a detailed investigation into the facts and technical aspects raised in the audio-visual materials should be carried out.

Furthermore, the SC has also directed to advance actions as per the laws after the investigations, if the wrongdoers were involved in the violation of criminal laws.

Similarly, prior to the court's order, SidhaKura informed online that the news of "The Dark File" series has been suspended and removed. "According to the letter received from the Press Council regarding the news, the currently published material has been suspended due to the progress of study and investigation," SidhaKura said.

Meanwhile, the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority has clarified through a statement that the commission has no involvement in the verdict issued by the constitutional bench of the SC.

Earlier, SC's assistant registrar Govinda Prasad Ghimire had prepared and submitted a report on the issue on Sunday at the SC's bench demanding maximum level of punishment to publisher Kandel and executive editor Dhungana on contempt of court.