SC administration files contempt of court case against SidhaKura

Published On: April 29, 2024 03:43 PM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

KATHMANDU, April 29: The Supreme Court (SC) administration has filed a contempt of court case at the SC against a YouTube channel named SidhaKura.

Deputy Registrar of the Supreme Court, Govinda Prasad Ghimire, has filed a contempt petition alleging that misleading material has been aired to discredit the judiciary. A hearing is scheduled for Monday.

The petition seeks an immediate removal of misleading and false content broadcast on YouTube and other social networks. The petition demands, “Those responsible for creating and broadcasting such misleading content be brought before the court and necessary legal action be taken to prevent any future attacks on the independence and integrity of the judiciary.”

As the content broadcast with wrong intentions may constitute other criminal offenses, the petition also requests for necessary investigations and actions to be conducted.

Additionally, the petition seeks regular written reports from the concerned state agencies to the Supreme Court regarding the actions taken.

On April 26, the media named 'SidhaKura' uploaded and broadcast a secret audio serially from YouTube and other social networks under the title of ‘Exclusive Sting Operation: Secret deal to dismiss more than 400 cases, involvement of Supreme Court justices and owners of Kantipur and Annapurna dailies.’

It is mentioned in the petition that SidhaKura has disregarded the court citing that the material disseminated in a premeditated, misleading and planned manner has created an obstacle in the administration of justice in accordance with Article 128 (4) of the Constitution, Section 17 (1) of the Administration of Justice Act, 2073 BS.

"I have submitted this report in accordance with Rule 59 (3) of the Supreme Court Rules, 2074 BS, as the public's faith in the independent judiciary has been seriously compromised," the petition reads. "Therefore, everyone involved, including publisher Yubaraj Kandel, Executive Editor Nabin Dhungana, etc., of SidhaKura.com office situated at Baluwatar, Kathmandu Metropolitan City-4, might face punishment for contempt of court," the statement further reads.