Senior most justice arrested in Bhutan

The political rambling in Bhutan is almost bust – with the arrest of the senior most justice of the Supreme Court of Bhutan on Tuesday afternoon.

A team of Royal Bhutan Police arrested Kuenley Tshering, in what is seen as the most high-profile arrest in the recent Bhutanese history. Along with him, police have also arrested a judge in Pemagasthsel District Court – Yeshey Dorji. 

The two high profile arrests comes shortly after the arrest of a Royal Body Guard commandant, Brigadier Thinley Tobgye, in connection with a criminal conspiracy against the Chief Operations Officer of the Royal Bhutan Army (RBA) Batoo Tshering.

Criminal conspiracy and impersonation cases reportedly surfaced after a woman, who was arrested a few months ago, disclosed their plan.

Office of the Attorney General filed the case against them at Thimphu District Court on Wednesday. The court denied bail in initial hearing.

Tshering had served as Officiating Chief Justice of Bhutan between November 2019 and October 2020. However, Tshering failed to win the favoour of King Jigme Khesar who appointed Officiating Chief Justice of High Court Duba Dukpa as new Chief Justice of the Supreme Court on October 14. 

Tshering was appointed to the Supreme Court in June 2017. He served in the National Council as King’s appointee between 2008 and 2013. 

The trio are alleged to have conspired to oust RBA’s Chief Operations Officer, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Attorney General Shera Lhendup and Registrar General of Supreme Court Sonam Gyeltshen.