Resham Chaudhary accused of framing party cadres in theft

Butwal, August 9:  It has come to light that Resham Chaudhary, leader of the Nagarik Unmukti Party (NUP), allegedly attempted to frame party workers who did not align with his views by accusing them of theft in Bardiya.

Lakshmi Chaudhary, Vice Chairman of the NUP in Rajapur Municipality, was invited to Resham Chaudhary’s home in Tulapur, Gulariya, where he lives with his second wife, Asha Chaudhary. On the evening of August 2, Resham invited Lakshmi to join him for a meal, which included pork, broiler chicken, and local wine. Following the meal, they engaged in political discussions, during which Lakshmi expressed differing opinions from Resham.

The next morning, while Resham was out for a program in Ghodaghodi, Kailali, Lakshmi cleaned up from the previous day's meal and returned home. Shortly after, Asha Chaudhary contacted the district police office in Bardiya, accusing Lakshmi of theft.

Jhaggu Chaudhary, who works as a personal secretary to Resham's father and MP Lal Bir Chaudhary of Bardiya Constituency No. 2, led the police to Lakshmi’s home. According to DSP Sagar Bohara of the Area Police Office Rajpur, Asha reported missing items, prompting the police to summon Lakshmi for questioning. After the investigation revealed no evidence of theft, Lakshmi was released to her family.

Lakshmi claimed that Resham and Asha were trying to damage her reputation. On August 3, NUP Rajapur Municipality Chairman Lakhan Tharu visited the Rajapur Area Police Office upon hearing about Lakshmi’s detention. He criticized the use of police resources to target a party cadre, stating that such actions should be addressed personally or within the party rather than through legal proceedings.

Resham Chaudhary has been spending significant time in Bardiya due to ongoing disputes with his elder wife, Ranjita Shrestha. This internal conflict has led to divisions within the party, causing further issues. Chanak Bahadur Tharu, a Rajapur resident, expressed surprise at the lack of involvement from Resham’s father, Lal Bir Chaudhary, noting his absence from local activities and failure to respond to calls.

Laxmi’s version of the incident

According to Lakshmi, around 3 pm, Resham Chaudhary asked her to bring ‘Mauwa’ (a local liquor). She arrived at his house in Tulapur in the evening, bringing the liquor as requested. Resham lives there with his wife Asha, his mother, and a housemaid. He often stays there after being released from prison.

Resham invited Lakshmi to stay the night and enjoy a meal. However, Lakshmi declined, saying she would return home that evening. They cooked pork and broiler chicken, finishing the meal around 10 pm. Laxmi decided to stay for the night as it was getting late.

During their conversation, political issues came up. Lakshmi spoke highly about Dharma Bahadur Chaudhary, now a Lumbini assembly member from NUP. She told Resham that Dharma should be given ticket in the Federal elections from Bardiya Constituency No. 2. Lakshmi remarked that Dharma, a leader considered close to Ranjita faction, had made significant progress in Rajapur.

Lakshmi speculated that Resham and his wife Asha might not have appreciated her support for Dharma. The next morning, Resham left for Ghodaghodi without having tea. Asha informed her that Resham’s car would come to pick her up, but Lakshmi chose to leave on her own and returned home around 11 am.

After resting, Lakshmi was visited by Jhaggu Chaudhary, Resham’s relative, followed by the arrival of the police. They informed Lakshmi of a theft accusation. The police transported her to the local police office in Rajapur. Although Asha later called the police to retract her statement, saying it was made in anger, the police followed district instructions and brought Lakshmi to the station.

Lakshmi noted that the police did not handcuff her and she was questioned by the DSP. She recounted that this was her first stay at Resham’s house and expressed confusion over the theft accusations. She felt humiliated and defamed by the treatment she received.

Resham later contacted Lakshmi and asked her not to take the incident personally, describing it as a domestic matter. Lakshmi questioned why the police were involved if it was a domestic issue and has since blocked Resham's number, feeling deeply insulted.

Meanwhile, Resham Chaudhary has claimed ignorance of the situation. When asked about Lakshmi, he responded, "I don’t know about Lakshmi Chaudhary!" and ended the call.