The Special Court on Tuesday remanded Dol Bahadur Karki, a UML CA member, to  20 days of judicial custody. He has been charged with accepting bribes in exchange for arranging for recruitment into the police force.

The Special Court on Tuesday remanded Dol Bahadur Karki, a UML CA member, to  20 days of judicial custody. He has been charged with accepting bribes in exchange for arranging for recruitment into the police force.

A joint bench of the chairman of the court, Gauri Bahadur Karki, and members Om Prakash Mishra and Kedar Chalise reprimanded the accused before issuing the verdict. “I was framed”, said Karki, and asked the court not to send him into custody as the prime ministerial election is due to be held 5 September. The chairman of the court turned down his request and said leave would only be granted if the CA Chair makes a formal request to the court.

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) presented Karki before court, seeking a month for the investigation to be carried out. A CIAA team arrested him on Monday evening, allegedly while he was in the process of accepting a surety of Rs 100,000 from an individual to whom he had promised help in getting through the exams required to be appointed as a police officer.

Karki, 45, is from Syangja and was elected under the proportional system. He is said to be close to UML Vice-Chairman and former Home Minister Bhim Rawal. He has been accused of receiving money from 12 persons applying to become police officers.

Meanwhile, the UML has formed a three-member committee to probe the charges of bribery against Karki. Amrit Bohara, head of the party’s Disciplinary Committee, issued a statement saying the party would conduct an independent inquiry into the charge against Karki.