Dhamala remanded to 14-day police custody; faces charges of extortion, bomb attacks
Journalist Rishi Dhamala, who was arrested on Tuesday on charges of having links with an underground Hindu extremist outfit, was remanded to police custody for 14 days on Wednesday.
The Kathmandu District Administration Office (DAO) remanded him to custody as requested by the police, seeking more time for investigation into his alleged links with Ranabir Sena, an underground outfit that had claimed responsibility for a number of bomb blasts in the capital and Terai districts in the past.
There was huge presence of journalists at the DAO when he was brought there.
Dhamala, who is the chairman of Reporters Club Nepal, was arrested by the police from the Club's office at Putalisadak Tuesday evening. Speaking to journalists at the DAO premises, Dhamala denied any link with the understand outfit, saying he was being harassed by state and that it was being done as part of a conspiracy.
On the other hand, police officials involved in investigation said they had found important clues to establish Dhamala's link in 'arms issues' and extortion. They claimed that Dhamala was a key Ranabir Sena operative in Kathmandu and was involved in extorting money from businessmen.
In a press conference at the Mahendra Police Club this afternoon, police released a tape in which Dhamala could be heard asking for Rs 4 million from a Kathmandu-based businessman, but authenticity of the tape is yet to be verified independently.
Three others suspected Sena operatives, Ram Subhak Mahato of Siraha, Birendra Kumar Mahato of Sunsari and Manoj Mahato of Siraha, who were arrested on Sunday, have confirmed their link with Dhamala, police said.
In a videotape released at the press conference, Ram Subhak and Manoj admitted to have been working as the Kathmandu valley in-charge and 'military commander' of the underground outfit respectively.
They also talked of Dhamala's assistance in carrying out a bomb blast in front of Kathmamdu Mall in Sundhara, Kathmandu, few weeks ago. All three accused are journalists.
Police, however, didn't present any of the accused at the press conference. nepalnews.com Feb 04 09
