Kathmandu, April 7

Police have obstructed a programme organised by the Jeevan Ram Shrestha-led Nepal Olympic Committees stating that the group is not authorised to use the ‘Nepal Olympic Committee’ logo.

Shrestha had organised a high tea programme at Royal Banquet in Tinkune on the occasion of the Nepali New Year. According to the guests present at the venue, police from Naya Baneshwor Circle intervened in the programme saying that the group was misusing the committee’s logo.

Kathmandu Police chief Chhabilal Joshi said the group was not authorised to use the logo and that was why a banner containing the logo was removed. “We have no problem with the gathering conducted without using the banner,” he said.

Shrestha accused police of interfering in a programme organised by the IOC-recognised Nepal Olympic Committee. He held that his committee was the torchbearer.

Following a dispute between the Shrestha (then Dhurba Bahadur Pradhan)-led NOC and the Rukma Samsher Rana-led body of the same name, the Supreme Court seven years ago ruled in favour of Rana. But the Pradhan-Shrestha camp is the NOC recognised by the International Olympic Committee as its representative in Nepal.

But two years ago, the two camps organised a joint general assembly and elected a new body under Shrestha. But the Supreme Court recently wrote to the Home Ministry ordering it to enforce its decision from seven years ago on the NOC dispute case.

The Rana camp is using the court order to occupy the NOC’s office in Kathmandu and to not allow the Shrestha camp to use the NOC logo.