Against the expectation of the high level probe commission the Royal Palace today failed to respond to the commission's questionnaire to King Gyanendra in connection with his alleged role in atrocities committed by his regime during the Jana Aandolan II in April this year.
The commission had asked for reply from the King by today (Wednesday) but no response came, member of the probe commission Harihar Birahi told the media in the evening.
"There is no response to the commission's questionnaire. We had asked for clarification about the atrocities during the people's movement, as the King chaired the then Council of Ministers," Bihari said. He hinted that now the commission does not hope to get a reply from the King because it should have come by now if the King had intention to comply with.
The probe body, however, cannot compel anybody to give statement, according to him. "Everybody summoned by the commission is free whether to record statement or not. We can't compel anybody but we did give chance to everybody to clarify their position," he further said.
The commission will arrive at a conclusion on the basis of the facts but no decisions will be taken on the basis of statements alone, according to Birahi.
The commission headed by former Supreme Court Justice Krishna Jung Rayamajhi had sent the questionnaire to the King on October 12. King Gyanendra's principal secretary Pashupati Bhakta Maharjan had met with Prime Minister GP Koirala a few days earlier and reportedly discussed about the commission's letter to the King.
The probe commission has already interrogated 274 individuals including the ministers of the then royal government, former and incumbent security chiefs while 610 witnesses have recorded their statement. At least 21 persons lost their lives and over 4000 persons were injured around the country in clampdown on the movement.
The commission's deadline to wrap up its investigation and submit a report to the government ends on October 27
The commission had asked for reply from the King by today (Wednesday) but no response came, member of the probe commission Harihar Birahi told the media in the evening.
"There is no response to the commission's questionnaire. We had asked for clarification about the atrocities during the people's movement, as the King chaired the then Council of Ministers," Bihari said. He hinted that now the commission does not hope to get a reply from the King because it should have come by now if the King had intention to comply with.
The probe body, however, cannot compel anybody to give statement, according to him. "Everybody summoned by the commission is free whether to record statement or not. We can't compel anybody but we did give chance to everybody to clarify their position," he further said.
The commission will arrive at a conclusion on the basis of the facts but no decisions will be taken on the basis of statements alone, according to Birahi.
The commission headed by former Supreme Court Justice Krishna Jung Rayamajhi had sent the questionnaire to the King on October 12. King Gyanendra's principal secretary Pashupati Bhakta Maharjan had met with Prime Minister GP Koirala a few days earlier and reportedly discussed about the commission's letter to the King.
The probe commission has already interrogated 274 individuals including the ministers of the then royal government, former and incumbent security chiefs while 610 witnesses have recorded their statement. At least 21 persons lost their lives and over 4000 persons were injured around the country in clampdown on the movement.
The commission's deadline to wrap up its investigation and submit a report to the government ends on October 27