The Nepal Police headquarters has started probe of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) team that had went to Kanchanpur to assist the local police in investigation of rape and murder of teenager Nirmala Panta.
A five-member team led by SSP Uttam Subedi has been formed to probe the CIB team deployed to Kanchanpur. The team will record statements of the personnel who had gone to Kanchanpur during the investigations.
Nepal Police Spokesperson SSP Shailesh Chhetri said the headquarters is also preparing to record statement of the suspended SP Dilli Raj Bista, who was head of Kanchanpur Police, at the time of incident and take additional action against him if he is found to have made mistakes.
A CIB team led by DSP Angur GC had reached Kanchanpur four days after the incident. Doubts arose about the police investigation after the CIB team and the then SP at Kanchanpur Bista made 41-year-old Dilip Singh Bista, who was mentally challenged, public as the culprit on the 24th day of the incident on August 18.
The District Government Attorney Office released Bista on Tuesday after DNA samples collected from Nirmala Panta's body did not match with that of Bista.
The locals have been claiming that Bista was framed by the police to save the real culprits. Nirmala's father Ek Raj has claimed that the police put pressure on him to file a complaint identifying Bista as the main accused.
One boy was killed in police firing and dozens injured in clashes with police as the locals protested for days accusing the police of trying to save the real culprits.
The then SP of Kanchanpur Dilli Raj Bista was then suspended for mishandling the case while the CIB sent another team under SSP Thakur Gyawali for investigations.
