KATHMANDU, July 18: After being freed on bail, Prithvi Malla,21, whose drunken drive hit and killed Lila Devkota last year at Budhanilkantha of Kathmandu is reportedly preparing to leave the country for the USA. Malla or his family members were not available for comment on the issue. On the other hand, the decision of the Supreme Court has drawn wide criticism.
On facebook and twitter, people have expressed sorry for 'the utter leniency shown toward a murderer of an innocent woman'. Many have questioned the wisdom and intention of Justices Sapana Malla Pradhan and Manoj Sharma, whose joint bench freed Malla on bail on Friday in the pretext of the corona pandemic as well as his poor health conditions, the latter believed to be faked just to weaken the case.
Sujita Dhakal tweets – this situation reminds me of a movie 'Jolly LLB' where you drink and drive, kill someone innocent, and then kill justice with the power of money.
Twitter handle @ghumneymanche goes – till when there will be political appointments in the judiciary, let's expect more of such lame decisions. May the judiciary be free of bugs!
Ananta Koirala also mocks on twitter stating SC as Sarbochcha Ananyala (Supreme Court of Injustice).
Krishna Gyawali writes -- a promising Justice like Sapana Malla Pradhan also came up with a disappointing order; perhaps she did not use her conscience, I hope she hasn’t been pampered by the praises she had so far earned.
Meanwhile, Amrita Lamsal tweets -- the money you earn will not go to your grave, but the pains you gave will remain in the hearts of one or the other.
AP Sharma on facebook reacts that such cases are treated insignificant, while Sanjay Singh KC terms the freed Malla as Salman Khan. "You guys are busy over Mahanayak (a recent controversy over the title relating to actor Rajesh Hamal) here the country has already got its own Salman Khan. Bollywood actor Salman Khan in India was involved in a similar hit and run case.
Malla, a local of Gothatar, Kathmandu was released after posting a bail of Rs 500,000. When the car hit Devkota, there were three others, who managed to flee legal hassles right away. Malla was booked and interrogated, but admitted in the hospital soon after being taken to police custody in January.
Lagankhel Mental Hospital has provided a written document that says Malla is a patient of depression. Chirayu Hospital also endorses that he has depression as well as asthma.
Talking to Republica, a relative of deceased Devkota stated that the court’s decision has hurt the family.
"A reasonable jail term was expected, since it was a serious case. But Malla freed Malla," he said in a sarcastic tone, requesting anonymity, however. "We have heard he is readying to leave the country by hiring someone else to follow the legal process, but do not know for sure," he added.
Three to 10 years of jail term has been demanded for the guilty as per law.
A mother of four, Devkota had come to Kathmandu from her hometown in Gorkha a few years ago to brighten the future of her children.