Nepal government removes police chief and appoints him adviser — Kathmandu Post
On Wednesday, Nepal’s government removed Inspector General of Police Dan Bahadur Karki from his post and immediately appointed him special security adviser to the prime minister. Manoj KC, who had previously ranked third in the police hierarchy, became the new head of Nepal Police.
As Kathmandu Post reports, the Cabinet convened an extraordinary meeting less than a day after its regular session. Home Minister Sudan Gurung personally presented Manoj KC with the insignia of the police chief, although this is usually done by the secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Adviser post within the government
Government spokesperson and Education Minister Sasmita Pokharel said that a post equivalent to the rank of inspector general of police had been created at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. According to her, it is intended to provide the prime minister with consultations and recommendations to strengthen peace and security in the country.
At the same time, the government did not provide a clear explanation for Karki’s removal. Pokharel said the decision was made on the basis of recommendations from the ruling party. However, Jagadish Kharel, a representative of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, denied that the party had demanded the removal or appointment of any particular person.
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Dispute over the investigation
Tensions between Karki and the secretariat of Prime Minister Balendra Shah intensified amid the case of Inam Sapkota, who is being held in custody on charges related to money laundering and banking offenses. Officials familiar with the developments linked the decision concerning the police chief to a data leak about Sapkota’s alleged ties to the prime minister’s political adviser Kumar Byanjankar, known as Ben.
According to the publication, an examination of Sapkota’s phone allegedly uncovered correspondence with Karki and information about one meeting between them. Karki himself denied any improper ties to the fixer. A representative close to Karki claimed that the meeting was routine and that there had been no further contact.
Karki, who had 17 months remaining in his term, is preparing to challenge the government’s decision in the Supreme Court. The publication notes that the court had previously found arbitrary removal of a police chief to be contrary to the principle of the rule of law.
