Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Minister for Home Affairs Ramesh Lekhak has publicly denied any involvement in the visit visa scam, stating that he would quit politics if proven guilty.
Speaking at a gathering of party workers in Janakpur on Saturday, Lekhak said he was closely studying the issue and would soon make his stance public through a statement.
The scam involves a network of immigration officials, security personnel and airline staff extorting money from Nepalis traveling to Gulf countries on visit visas without labor permits. Unconfirmed reports have linked Lekhak to the racket, alleging that he transferred Tribhuvan International Airport’s immigration chief Tirtha Raj Bhattarai after learning the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) had launched a probe. Bhattarai was later arrested by the CIAA.
Lekhak said he had remained silent to investigate how the allegations surfaced and claimed to have uncovered the origins of the controversy. He promised the Home Ministry would issue a statement and that he would personally address the matter soon.
He also suggested that both royalist forces and leaders within his party may be behind the allegations.
