Kathmandu, December 1
Preparations have been finalised to make DIG Bishwa Raj Pokharel the sole contender for the next chief of Nepal Police, apparently under the pressure of Deputy Prime Minister Ishwar Pokharel.
A meeting of the promotion committee led by Home Secretary Maheshwar Neupane on Monday evening decided to recommend the name of DIG Pokharel for a vacant position of additional inspector general of Nepal Police.
Just a few weeks back, DPM Pokharel had interfered in the jurisdiction of the Home Ministry to create an additional position of AIG within the national police organisation so as to promote his relative Bishwa Raj Pokharel.
With three other incumbent AIGs retiring before him, Bishwa Raj Pokharel will be the sole contender for the Nepal Police chief when incumbent IGP Shailesh Thapa Kshetri will complete his term in May 2022.
If the additional position had not been created, other DIGs such as Sahakul Thapa and Dhiraj Pratap Singh would have been equally qualified to run for the top position.
Sources say IGP Thapa Kshetri himself is also not happy with the plan to promote DIG Pokharel, but he has been helpless under the pressure of the deputy prime minister.
In May 2019, Pokharel was promoted to the position of DIG amid objections within the organisations as there were many other officials more experienced than him waiting for the promotion. He also faces a disciplinary charge as he had once disobeyed a transfer order.
