KATHMANDU: Minister for Federal Affairs and General Administration, Raj Kumar Gupta, resigned on Tuesday following widespread criticism after an audio clip linked him to a bribery deal.
In the leaked audio, an individual believed to be Gupta can be heard negotiating a bribe of Rs 7.8 million for the transfer of a land revenue official and the appointment of an individual as district chairperson of the Land Commission.
A complaint was filed at the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), claiming that Gupta accepted Rs 5.3 million in bribes. The complaint also included photos of two bags containing the cash and serial numbers of the banknotes.
With Gupta’s resignation, the attention has now shifted to the CIAA and how the investigation against him will proceed.
Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Chief Whip in the House of Representatives, Gyan Bahadur Shahi, said resignation alone is not sufficient. “There should be an investigation into the entire incident,” Shahi said, accusing Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli of trying to shield corrupt officials.
Gupta, however, has claimed that he was wrongfully targeted. “Sometimes, even when one has done nothing wrong, one becomes a victim—and that is exactly what has happened to me,” he wrote on his Facebook page. “I have resigned from my position as Minister for General Administration so that investigations can proceed without hindrance and the truth can come to light.”
Prime Minister Oli had summoned Gupta to his official residence in Baluwatar on Monday to inquire about the audio clip.
Even UML leaders had also pushed for Gupta’s resignation. Dr Rajan Bhattarai, in-charge of the Bagmati Province Committee of the party, had earlier said that Gupta stepping down and cooperating with the investigation would be in the best interest of the government, the party and Gupta himself.
UML Secretary Yogesh Bhattarai had also said that the audio clip should be investigated.
In the audio clip, a middleman can be heard telling Gupta, “The land in Pokhara is waiting for you. Take the Rs 2.5 million offered. Once it works out, we’ll eat fish in Majhikuna.”
Majhikuna, mentioned in the recording, is a location on the banks of Begnas Lake in Kaski, famous for grilled tilapia.
Several lawmakers raised the issue in the parliament meeting on Sunday. Leaders of coalition partner Nepali Congress (NC) had also demanded an investigation into the issue.
NC leader Dr Shekhar Koirala accused the Prime Minister of remaining silent and the opposition of being mere spectators, even when “suitcases full of cash are being dropped at the minister’s quarters”.
Similarly, NC General Secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa called for Gupta’s dismissal, while NC lawmaker Ishwari Neupane demanded an investigation into the authenticity of the audio.
Gupta, a UML lawmaker elected from Parsa-3 in the 2022 general elections, was appointed Minister for General Administration and Federal Affairs on July 15 last year.
UML insiders say some party leaders had tried to shield Gupta. “Some leaders, including Mahesh Basnet, had tried to cover the matter up. But the chairperson was firmly in favor of removing him,” a UML leader told Himal Press.
