The high-level investigation commission headed by former Justice Krishna Jung Rayamajhi interrogated three former ministers in connection with their alleged role in the suppression of the people’s movement-II on Sunday.

Former social welfare minister, Durga Shrestha, state minister for social welfare in the royal cabinet, Dr Durga Pokhrel, then state ministers Mani Lama and Rabindra Khanal appeared before the commission to record their statements.

Talking to reporters after interrogation, Pokhrel said that King Gyanendra, who chaired the cabinet, should also take moral responsibility for atrocities committed during the people’s movement in April this year in which 21 agitators were killed and over 4,000 others injured.

Similarly, then ministers Shrestha and Lama denied their role in the clampdown on the democratic movement whereas Khanal refused to speak to the media.

Former royal ministers Ram Narayan Singh and Yankila Sherpa who were summoned for interrogation today remained absent citing “urgent personal tasks”. The probe commission is likely to interrogate them tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the commission is scheduled to interrogate former Chief Justice Hari Prasad Sharma and former speaker Tara Nath Ranabhat. The commission had issued summon notices to them on Friday. Both are accused of giving statements in support of some decisions of the royal regime.

The probe commission has already interrogated over three dozen key functionaries of the royal regime including then cabinet vice-chairman-duo, Dr. Tulsi Giri and Kriti Nidhi Bista and then chiefs of the Armed Police Force and Nepal Police, regarding the suppression in the democratic movement.