Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Nepal Police headquarters has issued a circular to its subordinate offices for the arrest of murder accused Lami Mahato Koiri who is also a member of parliament.
The police headquarters swung into action after Minister for Home Affairs Rabi Lamichhane directed the police administration to immediately arrest Koiri. Lamichhane had drawn flak for the police administration’s leniency in the case.
Police spokesperson DIG Tek Prasad Rai said district police offices across the country have been instructed to arrest Koiri as per the direction of the home ministry.
“This is the second time that a circular has been issued to subordinate offices for the arrest of the murder accused,” Rai added.
Koiri has been elected to the House of Representatives from the Mahottari-1 constituency. A former Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) leader, Koiri joined UML just before the November 20 election.
Nepali Congress lawmakers have been putting pressure on the government to arrest Koiri, particularly after he gave a confidence vote to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Koiri is accused of being involved in the murder of Armed Police Force (APF) Sub Inspector Thaman BK. He is alleged to have instructed protesters to remove the injured BK from an ambulance and lynch him during a protest in several Tarai districts in 2015.
BK’s family have filed a chargesheet against Koiri and 27 others.
Koiri was arrested but was released following Mahottari District Court’s order to release him on a bail of Rs 200,000. Expressing dissent on the verdict, BK’s family appealed the case at Janakur High Court.
The high court, however, overturned the district court’s verdict and ordered the government to put him behind bars until the final judgment comes.
While Koiri has been attending house meetings, he is on the ‘absconding’ list.
