Nepal journos see red as police ask editors to reveal source

Nepalese journalists today expressed concern after police asked five media outlets to reveal the source based on which they published a news alleging a former deputy police chief of submitting forged documents for promotion.
Former Deputy Inspector of Police Nawaraj Silwal has been elected to Parliament on a CPN-UML ticket.
It is alleged that he had submitted forged documents to get promotion to the post of Inspector General of Police.
A case has been filed in a court against him for forgery.
If found guilty, he may be disqualified as an MP.
The Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) condemned the police's request to identify the source based on which the media houses published the details of forged documents of Silwal.

The Metropolitan Police of Kathmandu has asked editors of Roshan Khadka of Kathmandupati.com, Rabi Dhami of Muldhar news.com, Madan Babu Bhandari of Sushasan.com, Khilanath Dhakal of Shuvadin.com and Roshan Pandey of Janaprahar Saptahik.com to clarify the source of the news, the FNJ said.

The police are also seeking the editors' call detail records of one year, the group alleged.
The FNJ is an umbrella organisation of Nepalese journalists and Press Chautari Nepal, a pro-Leftist working journalists group.
Press Chautari's General Secretary Rajesh Rai said that the police have "encroached upon press freedom and freedom of expression".
"The directives given by the police has also undermined the rule of law and constitutional system by interfering in a subject that falls under the purview of the Press Council Nepal," Press Chautari said in a statement.