Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa has conceded that investigation in rape and murder of Nirmala Panta of Kanchanpur can take years.
Responding to the question of Nepali Congress (NC) lawmaker Dila Sangraula in the House of Representatives (HoR) about why the culprits have not been arrested, he gave a routine answer saying investigation is continuing and the government is serious about the case. "Investigation is moving forward. The bodies concerned are conducting investigation. Police officials have already been punished for negligence. Necessary investigation is being done," he stated.
Sangraula again asked about the destruction of evidence on the site by police after Thapa's answer. "Why was the evidence on the body and clothes destroyed? Please give a fact-based answer as to whether the murderers are in Baluwatar or Singha Durbar."
"The government cannot immediately resolve some crimes. It takes time. This episode has also taken time. The government is trying to bring the culprits to book as soon as possible," Thapa replied. "As far as you angrily asked whether they are in Baluwatar or Singha Durbar, the criminals wherever they are will be brought to book."
NC lawmaker Gagan Thapa pointed at the comment by Defense Minister Ishwor Pokharel that the criminals will be made public soon. "Does the Home Minister know that Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Iswhor Pokharel publicly claimed that the government will brief about the culprits within five days?" NC lawmaker Thapa asked.
Minister Thapa in response said he does not exactly know about Minister Pokharel's statement. "I can estimate that the statement of bringing the culprits to book in five or 10 days came in spirit of bringing the guilty to book soon," he stated. "The statement may have come as the suspected persons were already in sight of the government."
