Police arrested Kailash Sirohiya, the prominent media tycoon and Chairman of Kantipur Media Group (KMG), from his office on Tuesday evening, alleging misuse of citizenship documents.
A police team, including officers from the Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation office, detained Sirohiya at KMG’s central office in Thapathali. The arrest followed an arrest warrant issued by the Dhanusha District Court, linked to a complaint accusing Sirohiya of citizenship fraud.
Allegations and Arrest
The complaint against Sirohiya, filed in Dhanusha, alleges that he falsified his citizenship certificate by using someone else’s citizenship number. According to reports, the citizenship number on Sirohiya’s certificate matches that of Shivji Sahu Teli.
Sirohiya, who initially obtained his High Court citizenship certificate in the 1970s, later procured a duplicate certificate. This discrepancy has led to the current legal predicament.
Sirohiya issued a statement vehemently denying any wrongdoing. He claimed that political motives drove his arrest, aiming to tarnish his reputation and undermine the freedom of the press.
“Despite my willingness to assist in the investigation, this is an attack on the freedom of the press, and I will fight till the end,” Sirohiya asserted as he was escorted out of his office by police on Tuesday evening.
Media Influence and Political Intrigue
The timing and nature of Sirohiya’s arrest have raised suspicions about the underlying motives. Sirohiya suggested that the arrest warrant was a tactic to blackmail Kantipur Media Group. This tactic aimed to halt its investigative reports on cooperative fraud, which involved high-profile individuals, including Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane.
Allegations of misappropriating cooperative funds during his tenure at Galaxy TV have embroiled Lamichhane. Sirohiya hinted that his arrest was an attempt to divert attention from these significant allegations and suppress media scrutiny.
Earlier on Tuesday, Sirohiya had released a statement. In it, he expressed his readiness to cooperate with any lawful investigation. Additionally, he accused the authorities of using the arrest warrant to stifle Kantipur’s reporting.
“It is the responsibility of the media to raise its voice and demand justice and fair investigation against all those involved in embezzlement of hard-earned money,” Sirohiya stated. He emphasized that the arrest was designed to intimidate and silence Kantipur’s ongoing investigative efforts into the cooperative scam. This scam impacts over 7.1 million depositors in various cooperative societies.
Press Freedom Under Threat
Sirohiya’s arrest has sparked a broader debate about press freedom in Nepal. Many see his detention as a direct attack on journalistic independence, considering him the chairman of Nepal’s largest media conglomerate. Sirohiya vowed that Kantipur Media Group would not be intimidated and would continue to expose corruption and misuse of power.
“The office-bearers who abuse their powers and take revenge using the police administration should be held accountable,” Sirohiya declared. He criticized the political bargaining that leads to such misuse of authority and called for transparency and accountability at the highest levels of government.
Sirohiya also pointed out the hypocrisy of the current administration. Additionally, he referred to instances where political figures, such as the Deputy Prime Minister, have evaded prosecution for more severe offenses. These offenses include possessing dual passports.
The media tycoon’s arrest has drawn reactions from various quarters. Media organizations, civil society groups, and political analysts have expressed concern over the implications for press freedom. They argue that the arrest could set a dangerous precedent, where powerful individuals use legal instruments to intimidate and silence critical voices.
As the investigation unfolds, Sirohiya’s legal team is expected to challenge the arrest warrant and seek his release. Meanwhile, the spotlight remains on the Kantipur Media Group. Despite mounting pressures, the group remains determined to continue its investigative journalism.
Sirohiya’s arrest has underscored the fragile state of press freedom in Nepal and the ongoing struggle between the media and political power. As the story develops, it will test the resilience of Nepalese journalism and its commitment to holding those in power accountable.
