Kathmandu, August 20
Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) lawmaker Yagyamani Neupane has questioned the moral grounds of Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) Chief Commissioner Prem Kumar Rai to continue in office, citing his alleged links to several controversial cases and court rulings.
Neupane raised the questions during a meeting of the parliamentary committee attended by Rai and other CIAA officials.
Referring to the Supreme Court’s ruling on the wide-body aircraft procurement case, Neupane said the court had mentioned that the procurement process for two wide-body aircraft had moved forward following a decision of the Nepal Airlines Corporation board chaired by Rai, who was then secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation.
Neupane questioned why Rai was not made a defendant in the case despite his name being mentioned in connection with the procurement process.
He argued that prosecuting some officials involved in the same process while not prosecuting others amounted to selective prosecution.
“Selective prosecution is contrary to the principle of equal justice, the right to equality and the principle of natural justice,” Neupane said.
He also raised questions about Rai’s alleged involvement in the Nepal Oil Corporation land acquisition case, saying that the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee had specifically mentioned Rai’s name. He also referred to issues surrounding Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa.
Neupane then brought up the fake Bhutanese refugee scam, saying he had obtained court documents in his capacity as a lawyer in the case.
Reading from the statement of accused Sanu Bhandari, Neupane alleged that Bhandari had claimed that then-secretary Prem Kumar Rai’s vehicle was used to deliver Rs 10 million in cash and that Rai later called him to his office.
According to the statement read out by Neupane, Bhandari claimed Rai told him that his work would be done and asked him to leave.
Neupane said these issues raised serious questions about Rai’s ethical grounds for continuing as CIAA chief.
“On this basis, Chief Commissioner, do you have the moral grounds to remain in office? Does the law allow you to continue in that position? This is my second question. I want an answer,” Neupane said.
