For the first time, Nepal’s King Gyanendra has been questioned over his actions. A commission set up to investigate the official crackdown on the earlier anti-Palace demonstrations, sent Gyanendra a set of written questions on Thursday, panel spokesman Dilliraman Acharya said.

“We have submitted the questionnaire to him as he was the executive head of the government, and we are aware that as head of the state he enjoyed immunity on such things,” a member of the commission said. “We expect the answers to come within a week or so”, he added.

The commission refused to give any other details about the unprecedented move, what the questions were and how long the king has been given to answer them. But it’s believed to have enquired about his role in directing the security forces on their deployment to suppress the movement besides asking Gyanendra on the allocation of state money for such measures.

The panel which has come into controversy for its political composition and behaviour, has already interrogated the king’s chief principal secretary Pashupati Maharjan on the role of the palace vis a vis the two issues.