Police have asked three online news portals to present sources of news regarding the performance evaluation report of former Deputy Inspector General Nawaraj Silwal. Silwal was elected to the House of Representatives from Lalitpur-1 in the recently held elections. 

Metropolitan Police Range Kathmandu wrote to mul-dharnews.com, sushasan-news.com and suvadin.com a few days ago, asking them to present the original and duplicate copies of Silwal’s performance evaluation for the fiscal year 2072-73. The portals have also been asked to disclose sources of those documents.

“We are seeking help from those online news portals that had reported on the matter in investigation,” said Superintendent of Police Ram Dutta Joshi, spokesperson for the range. 

The range on Wednesday had registered a complaint against Silwal, following directives from the Supreme Court to initiate action against those involved in forging the performance evaluation report of the former DIG.

In its full text of the decision in a case related to appointment of the chief of Nepal Police, the apex court has said there were discrepancies in performance evaluation reports presented by the Public Service Commission and petitioner Silwal, and that a thorough investigation and action were required against those involved in forgery.

Silwal has been maintaining that he did not do anything wrong while the performance evaluation was downloaded by his lawyer from an online news portal.

Meanwhile, professional media organisations have taken exception to the police move. The Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) has said that police do not hold the right to seek details of the news sources. Press Chautari Nepal has also raised serious concern over the matter. 

“Ordering media to reveal sources of news and seeking call details of journalists is not only a naked intervention in freedom of press and expression but is also a serious case of threat from the state,” Press Chautari said in a statement.