In the Pokhara Litchi Bari corruption case, a bench of Special Court Chairman Sudarshan Dev Bhatta and Justices Dilli Ratna Shrestha and Bidur Koirala had ordered the remand for trial.
The Supreme Court has ordered a report on the petition filed by former minister Rajkumar Gupta. A single bench of Justice Nahakul Subedi has ordered the withdrawal of the order of the special court earlier sent Gupta to detention.
Former Minister Gupta had approached the Supreme Court seeking to quash the order of the special court. In the Pokhara Litchibari corruption case, the special court's chairman Sudarshan Dev Bhatta and judges Dilli Ratna Shrestha and Bidur Koirala had ordered his remand for trial.
The then Minister Gupta had filed a corruption case in the special court, alleging that evidence was found that he had taken a bribe of Rs 5.3 million from a real estate businessman in exchange for stopping the transfer of the chief officer of the Kaski-based Land Revenue Office and making him a member of the Land Commission.
The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority had accused Minister Gupta and former Minister Ranjita Shrestha of abusing their positions and taking a bribe of Rs 2.5 million in exchange for providing work facilities.
When giving a statement in court, Gupta claimed that the charges against him were false and that he had not taken a bribe from anyone. However, the court had ruled that he could not be considered innocent based on the evidence immediately available.
