SC stays govt decision to publish Ncell share sale probe report

KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court has issued an interim order directing the government not to make public the investigation report on the sale and purchase of Ncell Axiata shares.

A single bench of Justice Bal Krishna Dhakal issued the order on Friday, hearing a petition filed by Ncell Axiata’s Company Secretary Nishika Sharma.

The order has halted the immediate release of the report submitted by a probe committee led by Tanka Mani Sharma.

However, the report has already been made public by the Ministry of Information and Communication. A cabinet meeting held on August 11 had decided to make the report public.

In the petition, Sharma had argued that publishing the document violates the right to privacy guaranteed under Article 28 of the Constitution, along with provisions of the Individual Privacy Act, Income Tax Act, Value Added Tax Act and Right to Information Act.

“Pending the final resolution of the writ petition, do not make public or cause to be made public the report submitted to the Government of Nepal by Tanka Mani Sharma on January 29, 2024. Maintain the status quo and do not execute the decision taken by the Government of Nepal on August 11 to publish the said report,” the court order stated.