Rajib Gurung, better known as Deepak Manange, a member of the Gandaki Provincial Assembly and former minister, was sent to Dillibazar prison in Kathmandu on Tuesday, November 12 for attempted murder.
Manange was arrested earlier in the day by the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police from Kathmandu.
Additional Inspector General Deepak Thapa, the CIB Chief, confirmed with the state-run news agency RSS that Manange was arrested in accordance with the recent Supreme Court’s decision. He was presented before the District Court, Kathmandu for further proceedings.
The Supreme Court's ruling last Tuesday, November 5, convicted Manange in an attempted murder case and sentenced him to five years in prison, according to RSS.
Manange, who won seats independently in the 2017 and 2022 elections from Manang, has held various ministerial positions in the province despite having a criminal background.
Earlier on September 2, Manange resigned from his ministerial post, expressing dissatisfaction with the changes in the Gandaki province cabinet. “I am not interested in the ministry of forests and environment which holds no real power,” said Manange.
The Case Against Manange
The case dates back to 2004, when Manange was a leader of a criminal gang in Kathmandu. His group attacked the rival gang’s leader Milan Gurung, better known as Milan Chakre, with a sword, chopping off Chakre’s left arm.
The District Public Attorney’s Office in Kathmandu had initially charged Manange’s group for an attempted murder case. However, the Kathmandu District Court ruled the incident as an assault, sentencing Manange to two years in prison while acquitting others involved.
The District Attorney’s Office, then, appealed the decision to the then Appellate Court (now Patan High Court), which convicted Manange of attempted murder, increasing his sentence to five years.
Manange, however, appealed the decision to the Supreme Court, which was rejected last Tuesday, resulting in the validation of the earlier verdict.
After being elected as an independent member of the parliament of Gandaki Province in 2017, Manange appeared in court in 2018 and was sent to Dillibazar prison. But, he was later released under legal provisions that allow individuals with a less than 10 years sentence to remain out of jail while awaiting trial.
The former minister has reportedly served around two years in prison so far.
(With inputs from RSS)
