Nepal SC defers hearing in contempt case against newspaper

Nepal's Supreme Court today deferred till Sunday the hearing in a case against the country's largest newspaper over publishing of reports deemed critical of the chief justice.
The Kantipur Publications team was summoned by Chief Justice Gopal Parajuli on contempt of court charges for a series of reports which allegedly claimed that the top judge had given different dates of birth on various official documents.
"Although the hearing was scheduled for today but due to busy schedule of the apex court it has been deferred to Sunday," Hari Bahadur Thapa, editor of the daily, told PTI.
Judges in Nepal have retirement age of 65 and the suggestion is that Parajuli knocked years off his age to hold office for longer period.

On Wednesday,
the Supreme Court had ordered Chairman and Managing Director of Kantipur Publications Kailash Sirohiya, Director Swastika Sirohiya, Kantipur daily Editor-in-Chief Sudheer Sharma and journalist Krishna Gyawali to appear in person before the court within 72 hours of receiving the order.

"The articles published by the Kantipur Daily are intended to obstruct the judicial process and weaken the judiciary by disrespecting the court and spreading confusion about the court and its justices," stated the court order.
Kantipur Daily's chief editor, the chairman, a company director and a reporter are due in court on Sunday. They could face up to a year in jail, if found guilty.

Parajuli was appointed the chief justice nine months ago and is due to retire within a couple of months.
Nepal's new constitution promulgated in 2015 ensures complete press freedom and bans censorship of news, which was common during direct rule of the monarchy in 2005, when then King Gyanendra assumed executive power or prior to 1990, when multi-party democracy was reinstated.