Lawmakers and legal experts have said Chief Justice Dilip Kumar Podul could be impeached by the parliament if the truthfulness of recent news reports that he privately met the defendants of corruption cases are established after independent probe.

They have also demanded immediate inquiry into the reports of the CJ meeting with three corruption-accused persons– former minister Khum Bahadur Khadka, Rastriya Prajatantra Party (Nepal) chairman Rabindra Nath Sharma and former police DIG Kumar Koirala- when separate corruption cases against them were still pending at the Special Court.

Giving controversial verdicts, the Special Court had later acquitted all three persons of graft charges. CJ Poudel had reportedly met them separately at his Baluwatar residence. International norms and the code of conduct for judges regard such meetings as violation of professional ethics.

Speaking at an interaction in the capital Tuesday, CPN (UML) lawmaker Pradeep Gyawali said there should an independent inquiry into the charge against the CJ and that the parliament should start process to impeach him if the charge is established.

He furtrher said the recent acquittals of corruption-accused persons by the Special Court had raised a serious question about judicial impartiality.

Similarly, CPN (Maoist) chief whip Dina Nath Sharma said his party would table an impeachment motion at the legislature parliament against CJ Poudel if the charge against him is proven. “Our party will launch a separate inquiry into the media reports,” he said.

Speaking at the same programme, CPN (Marxist Leninist) leader and lawmaker C.P Mainali said CJ Poudel should be impeached by the parliament if he indeed met the defendants of corruption cases. Unethical conducts of judges as reported in the media have seriously tarnished the image of the judiciary, he added.

President of Nepal Bar Association (NBA) Bishwokanta Mainali said the Bar would launch an investigation into the charge against the CJ. He said the CJ could be impeached by the parliament if the charge is proven.

CJ Poudel is also facing a charge of “sexual abuse”. Editor and two other journalists of weekly tabloid Janaastha are facing “contempt of court” case at the Supreme Court for publishing a shocking news story citing an affidavit given by a woman to police authorities in which she accused Poudel of sexual abuse.