"We are monitoring whether the Metropolitan Police is doing it properly or not. Our concern is that what our local bodies do should be legal," Inspector General of Nepal Police Ramesh Chand Thakuri told myrepublica.com. He did not offer any further elaboration.
This is the first time that the Nepal Police leadership has formally spoken about the case, while MPCO has been reticent amid growing discontent among all line units and despite a couple of media reports in this connection.
According to sources, Nepal Police headquarters has deputed a parallel team led by DSP Kuber Kathayat to look into the matter as the way MPCO is handling the case has raised a good many questions.
MPCO has not made public anything since it held the two cops and a civilian on October 28 for allegedly looting 300,000 US dollars from the businessman on October 17. Neither is the action taken by the Metropolitan Police based on any complaint from the victim concerned. Existing law requires that any criminal case is initially prosecuted by the local unit concerned.
As Senior Constable Makar Shrestha and Constable Ramhari Subedi, posted at the Metropolitan Police Sector Swayambhu, allegedly looted the amount from the businessman in the Dallu area, the case would have to be taken up by the Metropolitan Police Range Kathmandu or a unit under it.
What is the case?
Shrestha and Subedi had allegedly looted the amount from the businessman, who is not yet identified definitively though sources say he is Sonam of Tibet, in collusion with the businessman´s driver, Pasang.
According to sources, the businessman did not opt to formally lodge a complaint with police as he was not in a position to establish legitimate ownership of the money. He approached MPCO, the coordinating body for the three Range Offices in the capital, which has no authority to prosecute any case. MPCO nabbed the two cops and the driver.
Sources said that AIG Timalsina arranged to hold the three accused for seven days at his own office, which is not legal custody. Currently, they are being detained at different places at nighttime and held under guard at daytime by officers of the Metropolitan Crime Division Office (MCDO), Hanumandhoka.
According to sources, a twist to developments is that MPCO has directed investigative officers at MCDO not to put pressure on the accused cops.
But those who came to be known as the investigation officers probing the case did not want to speak and also requested that their names not be mentioned, when myrepublica.com approached them.
On being asked about the case during a press meet on Sunday, Timalsina only said that the investigation was going on and refused to elaborate. He could not be contacted on his phone Monday for further comment.
MPCO has suspended Senior Constable Shrestha though no case has been registered at all and the whole process of investigations is also out of record.
"He was suspended in the early days before the accused agreed to certain terms," sources claimed.
"The central questions in this case are: Why is the businessman not to be seen although he is supposed to be the victim? Why has the MPCO taken it up on its own, going beyond its jurisdiction, and did not make it public?" said a high-profile source.
Related story
Thaha Media Group to provide Rs 300000 to Bhomjan's family
