KATHMANDU, Mar 12: The Supreme Court has begun hearing the contempt of court cases against Kantipur Publications and Dr Govinda KC in a larger full bench led by Chief Justice Gopal Parajuli.
The larger full bench includes justices Om Prakash Mishra, Cholendra SJB Rana, Deepak Kumar Karki, Kedar Prasad Chalise, Sharada Prasad Ghimire and Tej Bahadur KC.
Senior advocates Raman Kumar Shrestha, Shyam Kharel, Kumar Regmi and advocate Arun Gyawali argued representing the Supreme Court in the contempt of court case filed by Supreme Court section officer Netra Bandhu Paudel accusing Dr KC of making contemptuous statements by raking up the variations in the date of birth of Chief Justice Gopal Parajuli and attempting to drag the chief justice into controversy.
During the hearing, the lawyers claimed that Dr KC made contemptuous statements by raking up the issue of chief justice's date of birth which they said has already been settled.
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Likewise, advocate Toyanath Dhungana had lodged the contempt of court case against Kantipur Publications accusing it of disrespecting the top court by publishing slanderous news reports against the chief justice.
Chief Justice Parajuli's bench had summoned Kantipur Publications managing director Kailash Sirohiya, Director Swastika Sirohiya, Editor-in-Chief Sudhir Sharma and reporter Krishna Gyawali to appear before the court in person to record their statements on contempt charges.
The hearings will continue on Monday.
