Darchula Headteacher Death Case: High Court Orders Release of Eight Accused on Bail

The High Court Dipayal, Mahendranagar bench has ordered the release on bail of eight people who were detained in connection with the death of Baldev Singh Dhami, headteacher of Sampal Secondary School in Darchula’s Byas Rural Municipality-4.

The eight had previously been sent to custody by the Darchula District Court to face further proceedings in the case. The High Court has now overturned that detention order and directed that all eight be released on bail.

A joint bench of High Court judges Matrika Prasad Bhandari and Giriraj Gautam issued the order.

Two defendants, Parmananda Bhatta and Dalidatta Bhatta, have been ordered to post bail of Rs 200,000 each in the case involving alleged abetment of suicide.

Four others — Khimananda Bhatta, Haridatta Bhatta, Pushkar Raj Bhatta and Padam Raj Bhatta — have been ordered to pay Rs 150,000 each. Narendra Datta Bhatta and Bikram Singh Kunwar have been ordered to post Rs 100,000 each.

The written order had not yet reached Darchula District Jail as of Friday. Jail officials said the formal communication could take some time because the court issued its decision on Friday.

Umesh Singh Bista, jailer at Darchula District Jail, said the release process would begin once the prison receives the official court letter.

Dhami, the headteacher of Sampal Secondary School, was found hanging inside the school in April and was later declared dead.

Before his death, Dhami had posted a message on Facebook naming all eight people currently facing the case. In the post, he alleged that they had pressured him to the point of taking his own life.

Police subsequently arrested the eight individuals and investigated them on allegations of abetting Dhami’s suicide.

The High Court’s latest order changes the terms of their detention, but the underlying case itself will continue through the legal process.