. KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court (SC) has decided to plead on the case related to Kanak Mani Dixit and Kunda Dixit and their families in a land dispute over 18 ropanis of land.

The case has entered the judicial scrutiny again after the full bench of the Supreme Court gave the verdict in favor of the Dixit family two years ago.TAG_OPEN_p_27

A full bench of Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Sharma and Justices Nityanand Pandey and Shrikanta Poudel issued the verdict on the writ petition filed by the Land Management Office, Lalitpur.TAG_OPEN_p_26 With this, the hearing of the verdict of Jestha 20, 2081 BS will be heard again.

The dispute started in 2073 BS after the then Land Reform Office, Lalitpur decided to transfer 18 ropanis and 3 anna of land to the government as per the directive of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA).TAG_OPEN_p_25

The land located in the then Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City-3 has various structures including Rato Bungalow School.TAG_OPEN_p_24 Following the CIAA’s directive, the CIAA Office had issued a seven-day remand in the name of Kanak Mani Dixit, Kamal Mani Dixit and Kundan Mani Dixit. The government had decided to bring the land in its name citing lack of evidence.

The Dixit family had moved the Supreme Court against the decision.TAG_OPEN_p_23 A division bench of Justices Kumar Chudal and Saranga Subedi on June 3, 2081 issued the order issued by the then CIAA Chief Commissioner Lokman Singh Karki, terming the land confiscation process as illegal.

The Supreme Court had issued orders in favour of the Dixit family in all the three writ petitions filed by them. It also ordered the release of the frozen land of the Madan Puraskar Library.

Lokman controversy re-discussed

The role of the then CIAA chief Lokman Singh Karki is also linked to this case.TAG_OPEN_p_21 The anti-graft body had started investigating people associated with Himal Media since November 2072.

At that time, Himal Media had been accused of retaliation after publishing articles criticizing Karki’s appointment and working style.TAG_OPEN_p_20 Kanak Mani Dixit was also arrested in connection with the incident. He was later released after the Supreme Court issued a habeas corpus order.

Following Lokman’s instructions, the Department of Revenue Investigation and the Land Reform Office started research on the Dixit family and the Madan Puraskar library. Karki himself was later disqualified by the Supreme Court.

What happens now?

The decision made two years ago will be re-examined after the Supreme Court gave the verdict for review. The full bench will now hear the facts of the case, the legal basis and the legality of the previous verdict.

With this, the Dixit family’s land case is again awaiting the final decision of the Supreme Court.TAG_OPEN_p_17