While giving clarifications over the charges put on him during a hearing conducted by the Parliamentary Hearing Special Committee (PHSC) on Sunday, judge Shrestha said only media report could not be the base for the allegation that he let off the culprits involved in the illegal transaction of seven quintal of hashish.

He argued that the JC had already acquitted him off the charge as the Council investigation found no proof that the person he let off on general date had exported hashish illegally.

Similarly, judge Shrestha said he has not appeased any chief justices except receiving tika from then Chief Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhyay during Dashain festival.

According to him, the Constituent Assembly members could understand how the JC could be made effective in view of the criticisms made on it. He also pointed out a need that the stakeholders be aware that the verdict he delivered could be affected by the employees in the court, lawyers and middlemen.

Some of the PHSC members suggested judge Shrestha to regret the past mistake and make correction.

Likewise, Om Prakash Mishra, one of the proposed candidates for the post of Supreme Court Justice, urged the hearing committee to endorse his name only if he was capable for the same.

Responding to queries from the PHSC today, he said, "You can recommend me only if you think I am capable and competent for the post".

On the occasion, he also denied of having amassed property illegally as mentioned in the complaint registered against him. Mishra has been accused of making millions when he was at the Appellate Court in Rajbiraj and depositing the same under his family name in different banks across the country.

He said lack of sufficient judges, staff and resources was responsible for the delay in the delivery of justice and stressed that both judiciary and legislature should work within their respective constitutional parameters.

At the meeting chaired by senior-most member Kul Bahadur Gurung, the majority of the CA members questioned Mishra about the proportional representation in the judicial sector, effectiveness of parliamentary hearing, role of judicial council, relations between judiciary and legislature and other activities of the court.

The PHSC had continued its hearing with Supreme Court justice nominees on Saturday, grilling Deepak Raj Joshi and Govinda Kumar Upadhyay about their professional and personal integrity. The parliamentary hearing on the ‘controversial’ judges had begun on Friday when the committee grilled Baidya Nath Upadhyay.