It is strange that Supreme Court (SC) Judge Krishna Kumar Barma dismissed charges against Gordon William Robinson, the British national arrested with three kg of heroin, when he was responsible for the tough verdict handed out to Rita Dahal. The controversy surrounding the Robinson case has far from abated with legal experts concluding that Barma and fellow SC Judge Baliram Kumar's ruling on the Briton's case was flawed. They have requested a full inquiry into the matter.

Barma, now on extended leave, sentenced Dahal to 15 years imprisonment and a Rs 500,000 fine for possessing 276g of brown sugar two years ago. The verdict was based on the statement of confiscation and the police report. In Robinson's case, his confession was completely ignored. The judges also dismissed the police statement, saying it could not be recognised in court because it lacked the signatures of government officials and local representatives. (Nepalnews.com)