A day after the detention of Kailash Sirohiya Managing Director of Kantipur Publications on charges of irregularities while obtaining license for terrestrial television, Director of Kantipur Television Binod Raj Gewali said in a press release that the action against Sirohiya was prompted by the intention of suppressing the voice of the free press.

Gewali claimed that the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) initiated the action against Sirohiya in connivance with some elements having vested interests that were offended by Kantipur Publication’s commitment to professional journalism.

He stated in the press statement that Kantipur Publications had fulfilled all legal formalities while bidding for the license for the terrestrial television and all steps had been followed in a transparent manner.

The CIAA detained Sirohiya Monday on charges of taking illegal benefits by withdrawing the bid bond worth 25 million rupees before the stipulated time period while obtaining the license for the terrestrial television during the tenure of Minister for Information and Communications Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta.

Gupta has also been charge sheeted for his involvement in the alleged irregularities of allowing Sirohiya to withdraw the bid bond.

Meanwhile, the then Acting Secretary at the Ministry for Information and Communications Prabhakar Adhikari who has also been implicated in the Sirohiya case told the media Monday that the permission given to Kantipur Television to withdraw the bid bond was illegal. He said that he did not have any kind of involvement in the case.

“I had asked Kantipur Television to deposit the bid bond at the time of giving the license thinking that there could be irregularities later on,” Adhikari said. He said the metro TV channel had also been asked to put the bid bond in the similar manner. “Hence I can never be a party to allow the Kantipur Television to take back the bid bond,” Adhikari said.

He said that permission to withdraw the bid bond was given after he was transferred to the Ministry for General Administration. The CIAA was unable to register a case against Sirohiya and Gupta Monday due to the lack of time. It is expected to register a case against the two Tuesday.

The CIAA is also looking to file a case against former Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka Tuesday for his alleged involvement in financial irregularities in the Bakhra River Control project. Hearing on the case filed against former Minister Chiranjibi Wagle took place Monday.