Kathmandu — Nikita Paudel, wife of Rastriya Swatantra Party Chairperson Ravi Lamichhane, has accused Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak of directly interfering in the judicial process regarding her husband’s case. She announced that she intends to take the case of alleged injustice against Lamichhane to the international court, starting from the High Court in Butwal.
On Wednesday, Paudel shared a long post on social media platform Facebook, claiming that impartiality in the judiciary has been compromised due to political influence.
She wrote, “Even if the court orders facilities equivalent to what other detainees receive, my husband is denied them under the Home Minister’s instructions.” According to Paudel, after a court hearing, complaints are submitted to the Judicial Council, and these complaints are drafted in the Home Minister’s office.
Paudel further alleged that complaints are being circulated via media and other channels with the intent of intimidating judges. “Drafts of complaints are prepared in his [Home Minister’s] own office, and links to news articles are sent to everyone on mobile phones. Judges are intimidated without restraint,” she stated in her post.
She claimed that all cases against Ravi Lamichhane were initiated only after Ramesh Lekhak became Home Minister, calling the sequence a deliberate conspiracy. She also alleged that during court hearings, government lawyers fail to respond, yet rulings consistently go against Lamichhane.
“The government side cannot answer questions asked by the bench, but rulings never favor our side,” her post said.
Paudel stated that she had never previously experienced such direct pressure on judges by the Prime Minister, the Minister of Law, and the Home Minister, but she has now witnessed it firsthand.
“I will continue to fight until I receive justice,” she said, warning that she would lodge complaints with the Judicial Council over obstruction in the administration of justice.
Addressing the Chief Justice, she wrote: “A book written after the term ends does not provide justice; the orders issued during the term do. I do not know whether I will get justice, but I will pursue it, including in international courts. I will fight until I receive justice.”
