November 2: The police have arrested Yogaraj Dhakal aka Regal from Nepalgunj today. Following the Supreme Court’s mandamus order that nullified the  presidential pardon to murder-convict Dhakal, the police nabbed Regal. 

Banke Police Chief SP Subaschandra Bohara said that Regal was arrested after the apex court’s diktat to annul presidential pardon granted to him.

On the recommendation of the Cabinet, President Ramchandra Paudel on the eve of the 8th Constitution Day on October 19 had pardoned the remaining jail terms of 670 convicts, including Dhakal.

In July 2015, Dhakal, a local Congress worker and gangster from Banke, had killed Chetan Manandhar in a broad daylight using domestic weapons. He was convicted of the murder and given a 20-year jail term by the Banke district court in April 2018.

Demanding nullification of the pardon granted to Dhakal, Manandhar’s wife Bharati Sherpa had filed a writ petition at the Supreme Court. With Supreme Court’s order, Regal has to serve the remaining sentence of 11 years, 11 months, and 5 days.