Police on Tuesday lodged a charge-sheet at Morang District Administration against Hindu leader Acharya Shree Niwas who allegedly staged an attack on himself to stoke communal violence.

Shree Niwas, who was arrested from Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu on Monday, faces charges under Arms and Ammunitions Act for trying to stage communal violence. The District Administration Office has extended the remand of the arrestee by 10 days for further investigation of the case.

DSP Arun Kumar BC said Acharya has been detained at Morang District Police Office and is being investigation. However, the police are yet to recover the pistol that was used to shoot at him.  If the charges are proven, the guilty can face up to one year in prison or Rs100,000 fine or both.

Meanwhile, Advocate Yogendra Chauhan has expressed his doubt that Acharya might be released during the trial as the weapon used in the incident has not been recovered. He further said the police were conducting their duty negligently as they have only lodged an arms and ammunitions case against the religious leader when what he committed was an act that could have caused a serious religious and communal violence.

“Acharya was conspiring to incite religious and communal violence,” said Chauhan, “If the people had blindly believed the Acharya there would have been bloodshed.”

The District Police Office, Morang, on Monday had paraded Shree Niwas and two of his accomplices—Madhav Chaudhary of Laxmiraj Adhikari—before the media.

Shree Niwas, who suffered a bullet wound in his chest, was admitted to Neuro Hospital in Biratnagar, where he remained in treatment for 21 days before going to Kathmandu. The government had agreed to bear the cost of Acharya’s treatment.

Chief District Officer Ram Prasad Acharya, however, said the government has not yet sanctioned money for the medical treatment of Acharya.

Minister for Federal Affairs and General Administration Lal Babu Pandit, and Province 1 Chief Minister Sher Dhan Rai among other political leaders, had visit Acharya at the hospital. Likewise, opposition lawmakers at Province 1 assembly had condemned the attack and sought additional security for Acharya.