The Kathmandu District Court has given its verdict in favour of Shyam Shrestha, former editor of Mulyankan monthly, asking the government to provide Rs 15,000 compensation to him.

The verdict was given by judge Shiva Narayan Yadav.

The court gave its verdict on a case filed by Shrestha demanding compensation against illegal detention by the state during the period of emergency in 2002.

Earlier, the court had scrapped his case saying it was filed late. Shrestha then filed writ at the Patan Appellate Court demanding revision on the case, which ordered the district court to review the case in 2004.

This is the first instance that court has ordered the government to pay compensation for unlawful detention during the emergency period.