A writ has been filed at the Supreme Court seeking annulment of the government’s decision to promote Colonel Raju Basnet to the post of Brigadier General. Basnet is accused of making 49 people disappear from the Bhairabnath Battalion during the insurgency.

The petition also seeks full explanation of Article 132 of the interim constitution which provides the National Human Rights Commission with certain powers while investigating human rights abuse cases.

Besides ignoring calls by national and international human rights bodies, and victims’ families, the government has been neglecting the NHRC’s recommendations to put Basnet on trial. On October 4, a cabinet meeting had decided to promote Basnet in spite of the charges filed against him.