The Government says It will not interfere in any of the court proceedings of the Home Minister Dasho Sherub Gyeltshen. Last month, the Home Minister was sentenced to two months in prison for fraudulently claiming vehicle insurance worth over Nu 200,000 in 2016.
Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering said it is not Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa’s (DNT) case since the issue picked up before Dasho Sherub Gyeltshen assumed the office as the Home Minister.
“As for me, I am sending both my heart and brain together to see what is the balance here. But be rest assured, whatever I decide on this, I am very comfortable because at the end of the day we will not interfere in the judicial proceedings. When I am absolutely clear on this, nothing else will matter. It will all depend on Lyonpo Sherub. What he wants to do, how he wants to take it because this is not DNT’s case. It is Lyonpo Sherub’s case. It started way before he became the minister. I am ensuring that this government will not interfere in the court proceedings,” said Lyonchhen.
Last month Home Minister’s lawyer has appealed to the High Court after the District Court’s judgement. The lawyer said that ‘critical evidence has been submitted to the court’ which proves Lyonpo’s innocence. He alleges that these pieces of evidence are ‘left unattended’ by the court. The lawyer said that the court has not taken into account the statement of ‘expert witness’ but based its judgement on the ‘vague statement submitted during the investigation period.’
Tshering Dendup/Pema Seldon Tshering