Nepal's SC summons Prachanda on contempt of court case

Nepal's Supreme Court today summoned Maoist chief Prachanda to appear before it within three days and furnish a reply on a contempt of court case against him.
A single bench of acting Chief Justice Sushila Karki issued the order on a petition filed on May 16 by Advocate Dinesh Tripathi against Pracanda for criticising the judiciary in connection with the cases during the decade-long civil war.
In his complaint, Tripathi demanded a court order sentencing the former prime minister to one year's jail and a fine of Rs 10,000 for his remarks against the judiciary, saying Prachanda's remarks has gravely defamed the apex court.

Prachanda, 61, reportedly had accused the judiciary of hatching a conspiracy to derail the peace process as it was issuing verdicts on the conflict-era cases though they fell under the jurisdictionof recently formed Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
The Maoist chief had refused to abide by the SC ruling demanding that the judiciary accept the transformation process.
"The judiciary is being prepared to hear the war-era cases in order to sabotage the peace process," the complaint quoted Prachanda as saying during the programme in Kathmandu.
The Nepali Civil War was an armed conflict between government forces and Maoist rebels which lasted from 1996 until 2006. The war was launched by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) on February 13, 1996 after being denied participation in a national election.