Mother secures justice for son’s murder after 11-year fight

After more than a decade of legal battles and repeated delays, 76-year-old Bishnu Kumari Pandey has finally seen justice served in the murder case of her son, Surya Bahadur Pandey. He was killed in Kaski district 11 years ago at the age of 25.

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she was prepared to sell her remaining belongings, including a small earring she still owns, if that was what it took to continue the legal fight.

Pandey attended at least 15 Supreme Court hearings, often traveling from Pokhara to Kathmandu, and was prepared to sell her belongings to continue the fight. On Wednesday, a division bench of justices Tek Prasad Dhungana and Meghraj Pokharel delivered the long-awaited ruling. They upheld a 12-year prison sentence against Ram Chandra Manandhar, who had been convicted by the Pokhara High Court. The court also overturned the acquittals of Buddha Shrestha and Dhruba Manandhar, finding them guilty under a provision that allows for a prison term of six months to three years for those present at a crime scene without direct involvement. Both were handed the minimum six-month sentence.

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the court upheld the 12-year sentence against Ram Chandra.

The case began on February 17, 2015, when Surya Bahadur left home with friends for a Shivaratri fair in Pokhara. His body was found the next morning near Ram Temple at Tulsighat. Advocate Mohana Ansari, representing the family, presented evidence including a post-mortem report detailing injuries and a witness account of the victim and accused spending time together. According to the statement, Surya Bahadur left his room around 1:30 am, followed by Ram Chandra. Ram Chandra later returned distressed, washed his hands, and went to bed without explanation.

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the post-mortem report documented injuries, including blood in the hair and wounds to the temple area.

Government lawyers had sought a life sentence, but the Supreme Court upheld the High Court's 12-year sentence for Ram Chandra. Bishnu Kumari had initially filed complaints against all three men, but police delayed registering the case for years. Ansari noted the case was not formally registered for about five years before a supplementary investigation report was filed. The case saw conflicting rulings in lower courts, with the Kaski District Court ordering custody, the Pokhara High Court releasing the accused on bail, and the Kaski District Court later convicting Ram Chandra while acquitting Buddha and Dhruba due to insufficient evidence.

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the victim and the accused had spent the evening together and consumed alcohol in their room.