Twenty-four Nepali nationals who were arrested with self-proclaimed religious leader Rampal in India will have to spend some more time in prison as they need to undergo legal procedures.

According to Rajendra Man Shrestha, counselor at the Nepali Embassy in New Delhi, the arrested Nepalis will be released only after concluding a legal process.

“The authorities concerned had informed us that the Nepalis would be released after serving four months in legal detention but now we have been informed that the detainees will only be released after they produce the charge frame before the local court on March 26,” Shrestha said. Indian police had raided Satlok Ashram run by Rampal and arrested a total of 935 people on November 19, 2014. The Nepali nationals are believed to have been arrested during the raid.

According to Shrestha, it is uncertain whether or how long the court hearing will last due to the serious nature of charges leveled against the arrestees. The arrestees are accused of amassingarms and ammunitions and homicide. Previously, embassy officials had reached the Hisar district police headquarters seeking the release of the arrested Nepalis. The embassy has also hired a lawyer and initiated the official process to get them out of the prison on bail.

Published on: 13 March 2015 | The Kathmandu Post