LALITPUR: The Patan High Court has directed Dr. Sanjeev Tiwari, General Secretary of the Nepal Medical Association (NMA), to appear in person within seven days in connection with a contempt of court case.

A joint bench comprising Justices Shyakumar Bhattarai and Hemanta Rawal issued a show cause order during a preliminary hearing on a petition filed by the Consumer Welfare Protection Forum.

The court has demanded that Dr. Tiwari provide a written explanation and evidence justifying why he should not be held in contempt.

The contempt case stems from Dr. Tiwari’s public comments and an official press release issued on NMA letterhead following a recent verdict by the Consumer Court. That ruling had found three prominent hospitals—Grandee City Hospital, Himal Hospital, and Om Hospital—guilty of medical negligence and directed them to pay compensation to victims.

In response, the Nepal Medical Association staged protests and released a strongly worded statement condemning the verdict, labeling it as unjust and damaging to the morale and reputation of the medical community.

The Consumer Welfare Protection Forum, in its petition, argued that these public reactions—including protests and statements perceived as hostile toward the judiciary—amount to contempt of court.

The petition emphasizes that such actions erode public confidence in the judiciary and set a dangerous precedent of defying judicial decisions.

With the show cause notice, the court has formally asked Dr. Tiwari to clarify his actions and justify the NMA’s stance within a week.