Dailekh, Patrakar Dekendra Thapa mudha ko faisala. The district court has convicted five UCPN-M cadres in the murder case of journalist Dekendra Raj Thapa. A single bench of district judge Dilli Ratna Shrestha issued his verdict on December 7 after hearing the pleadings of both parties on December 1. UCPN-M cadres Nirak Bahadur Gharti Magar, Jaya Bahadur Shahi and Hari Lal Pun have been slapped with two year jail term while Lakshi Ram Gharti Magar has been sentenced to 1 and half years in jail. Likewise, Bir Bahadur Pun has been jailed for one year. Judge Shrestha said that charge-sheet against absconding Maoist cadres Bam Bahadur Khadka alias Mukti, Bam Bahadur Khadka alias Arun, Bhakti Ram Lamichhane and Keshav Khadka have been put on hold on condition that the case would be decided after they appear at court or are arrested. The court has ordered district prison branch Dailekh to release Lakshi Ram and Bir Bahadur as they have already served their tem in remand since January 5, 2013. It has further asked the district prison to keep them in jail for the remaining time after deducting their jail term since January 5, 2013. Thapa’s widow Laxmi had filed a case on January 28, 2013, against nine Maoist district cadres. The lawyers pleading on behalf of the plaintiff had argued to impose sentence against the perpetrators as per the regular justice system claiming that it cannot be replaced by the Truth and Reconciliation Act. While the defendants had argued that the court verdict regarding conflict-era cases including the murder of Dekendra Thapa should be based on the special law brought according to the spirit of the interim constitution, 12-point understanding between political parties and Comprehensive Peace Agreement. Journalist Thapa was killed by the then Maoist cadres on August 11, 2004 after he was abducted on June 26. Thapa had left the district headquarters to meet some local rebel leaders to discuss the resumption of water supply to the Dailekh town that was cut off by the rebels. Y