What Happened In The Interrogation Room
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http://www.blog.com.np/index.php?p=491 In: Anything? UWB @ 11:55 pm
An ex-minister in Nepal grilled like this
United We Blog! Exclusive
This is a live account of the RCCC ?trial? against former minister Prakash Man Singh in Kathmandu today. The writer of this report is a professional electronic media reporter and was present in the ?court room? today. For some reasons, he does not want to be identified here. The original version of this report is available in United We Blog! In Nepali section.
Interesting and terrible things are happening in Nepal. The rule of law is being made a subject of mockery. One example of such claim could be the arrest, interrogation, trial [and verdict?] of former minister Prakash Man Singh whose government was dismissed on Feb 1. Today, Royal Commission for Corruption Control (RCCC) ordered the former minister to be kept in detention for additional seven days. Three members of the commission decided on the issue today in their court without even listening to Singh. Strange.
Commission tried to interrogate Singh yesterday and today but Singh didn?t answer any of their questions terming the commission as an unconstitutional and undemocratic body.
Today, an investigative officer of the commission presented Singh in front of the ?court? that consisted of no other than the members of the commission itself. The world wide accepted rule and tradition of a trial is that the accused is presented in the court accompanied by a lawyer in a respectable manner. That didn?t happen today. There was no legal advisor for Singh. He was not even allowed to take a seat.
The investigative officer started the procedure with these lines: ?My Lord. The former minister who is present in front of you now has done corruption by approving the decision taken by the secretary of the ministry. He didn?t answer us straight. By not answering commission?s questions, he is obstructing our work. He is not cooperating with us. His intention is not right. He only talks nonsense. If we let him go free, proof will be lost. That will have negative impact on the investigation. There has been corruption in Melamchi Drinking Water Project with his involvement. So, we should put him in detention for seven days and continue investigation.?
The investigative officer not only categorically claimed that there has been corruption even without investigating the matter completely but also scolded the former minister in the room full of media persons and other people in uncivilized manner.
After hearing from the investigative officer, Sambhu Khanal, member of RCCC gave time to Singh to ?clarify yourself in short without crossing the limit and without diverting the topic.?
Singh replied, ?This is an unconstitutional and undemocratic commission. Therefore I would speak nothing with this commission and I don?t recognize it?s activities.?
After hearing from Singh, Khanal apparently lost his temper. He ordered officials that they could take Singh to detention. That was a verbal order.
There were three members of the commission as judge. They didn?t confer each other before issuing that verbal order. Just a member decided it all. He continued, ?Oh..so the commission is unconstitutional? Then [to officials] take him and put him behind bar.?
Khanal on the role of judge was really really angry with Singh while ordering his detention. I sensed that the anger was not like an ordinary one. He took our a cigarette immediately after he get out of the room and smoked.
I as a court reporter was amazed to see that all. Singh was behaved as if he was a burglar caught red hand in a train station. Yes, accused persons who might be guilty or innocent can loose their temper while defending themselves. But a judge loosing temper and getting angry with the accused? Do we have rule of law?
