Freedom Forum welcomes the arrest of journalist Birendra Sah's murder convict after 12 years of the incident. Nepal Police arrested the convict Narendra Kumar Faujdar (Kundan) from his own residence at Baragadhi Rural Municipality, Bara on March 7, 2020 (Saturday). Bara district is situated in Province 2 of Nepal.
Convict Faujdar was arrested acting on special investigation and tip-off provided to the police through confidential sources, informed FF's representative Rajan Singh quoting Superintendent of Police Krishna Pangeni.
Journalist Birendra Saha was a reporter with Avenues TV, Dristi weekly and Nepal FM. He was first abducted by the cadres of the then rebel Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) on October 5, 2007 from Pipara of Bara district. Journalist Sah then was found dead at Dumarwana VDC Ward No 7 of the same district after a month of abduction on November 8, 2007.
According to the sources of his family and security personnel involved in the investigation, five persons including Hareram Patel, Lal Bahadur Chaudhary, Kundan Phaujdar, Ram Ekwal Sahani and Myanejar Giri were declared murder convict in the incident. Two of the convicts – Ram Ekwal Sahani and Myanejar Giri – were sentenced life imprisonment by the District Court Bara. Even following the arrest of Faujdar remaining two are still absconding. The case is sub-judice at the Supreme Court.
Freedom Forum applauds the success of Nepal Police in taming the murder convict in another case of impunity for crime against journalist following a recent case wherein one of the prime accused behind journalist Dekendra Thapa's murder was arrested on March 3, 2020 (Tuesday).
Hence, FF urges the concerned prosecuting authorities to continue their investigation, end other pending cases too, and ensure justice to the victims' families bringing perpetrators to book.
For more information,
Freedom Forum
montoring@freedomforum.org.np
01-4102030/ 4102022