KATHMANDU: Disputes have surfaced in the Nepali Congress over whether to suspend its central committee member Bal Krishna Khand, who is currently in police custody for investigation in the Bhutanese refugee scam.
While General Secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa and leader Dr Shekhar Koirala support the suspension of leaders implicated in the scam, President Sher Bahadur Deuba is not in favor of suspension.
As disputes arise within the party, party spokesperson Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat organized a press conference on Tuesday and stated that the party does not need to suspend Khand immediately.
Khand has been close to Deuba for the past three decades. Deuba has stated that immediate action against Khand is unnecessary as he claims innocence and pledges to cooperate with the investigation. “He (Khand) has been saying that he is innocent and willing to cooperate. That is why we are not making any decision at the moment,” Mahat said during the press conference.
Mahat also mentioned that a fake audio clip has been circulated, linking party lawmaker Arzu Deuba.
Rana has filed a complaint with the Cyber Bureau of the Nepal Police to investigate the audio.
The party, however, has not expressed any opinion on another member of the House of Representatives, Manju Khand, who is said to have been implicated by some of the accused. She has reportedly fled to Australia following the arrest of her husband, Bal Krishna Khand.
NC has not expressed any opinion on member of the House of Representatives, Manju Khand, who is said to have been implicated by some of the accused.
Spokesperson Mahat stated that party president Sher Bahadur Deuba will continue to support a fair and independent investigation. He added that if those involved in the incident are found guilty, they will proceed according to the legal process.
General Secretary Thapa and leader Dr. Koirala, however, have been calling for the suspension of leaders taken into custody for investigation. After their voices went unheard in party meetings, they have started to express their opinions in public.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Thapa stated that those arrested in the Bhutanese refugee scam should be tried under charges of organized crime and human trafficking. “The case of resettling Nepalis in the US as Bhutanese refugees is not only a matter of fraud, it is an organized crime, it is an act of human trafficking,” Thapa said. “This is not only a disrespect to Nepali citizens but also an act of treason. Therefore, anyone under investigation should be automatically suspended.”
Thapa reiterated his stance during a function in Kathmandu on Wednesday. He stated, “Our party leader has been linked to the Bhutanese refugee scam. Everyone should trust the legal process. If found guilty in the investigation, the guilty should be punished accordingly.”
Stating that the scam is an act of treason, Thapa emphasized the need for an impartial investigation of all those involved. “Everyone involved should be punished. Those holding public positions should be automatically suspended,” he added. Thapa also mentioned that those found not guilty will automatically return to their positions. “Some friends are saying that there is no such tradition in the party. If there is no tradition, then the tradition should be broken. We should not carry out wrongful acts in the name of tradition,” he maintained.
Leader Dr Koirala has also expressed concern that the party’s dignity has been damaged by the implications of party leaders in the Bhutanese refugee scam. He stated that the issue has now become an international matter and should not be covered up. “Our friends have been linked to the case. It is not just a matter of shame for the Nepali Congress, but also for the Nepali people. Such a shameful and anti-national act should not be covered up. I cannot say what will happen to the party if efforts are made to cover it up,” he added.
In the leaked audio tape, an unidentified man claims to have given Rs 25 million to Arzu and Rs 65 million to Manju Khand. Although Arzu has filed a complaint with the Cyber Bureau of the Nepal Police to investigate the audio clip, the police have not responded yet.
President Deuba has been delaying requests to discuss the issue within the party. He is reluctant to call for a central committee meeting. Many speculate that Deuba is hesitant to hold the meeting as his spouse, Arju Deuba Rana, is also linked to the scam.
In the leaked audio tape, an unidentified man claims to have given Rs 25 million to Arzu and Rs 65 million to Manju Khand. Although Arzu has filed a complaint with the Cyber Bureau of the Nepal Police to investigate the audio clip, the police have not responded yet.
According to the statute of the Nepali Congress, the central committee meeting should be convened at least once every two months. However, the party has been unable to hold its central committee meeting in the past nine months.
Those arrested so far in the Bhutanese refugee scam include former Deputy Prime Minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, former Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand, Secretary at the Office of the Deputy President Tek Narayan Pandey, former Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa Badal’s security advisor Dr. Indrajit Rai, Khand’s personal secretary Narendra KC, Keshav Dulal, Sanu Bhandari, Sagar Rai, Sandesh Sharma, Tanka Kumar Gurung, Sandeep Rayamajhi, Ram Sharan KC, and Govinda Chaudhary.
They have been accused of swindling tens of millions of rupees out of hundreds of Nepalis, promising them resettlement in the US as Bhutanese refugees. Police say that the racket illegally included the names of 875 people on the list of Bhutanese refugees awaiting resettlement in a report prepared by a task force formed by the home ministry.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Narayan Kaji Shrestha has expressed his commitment to hold all the accused accountable according to existing laws. “The act of collecting money by promising Nepali youth resettlement in the US as Bhutanese refugees is an organized crime,” he said while speaking to leaders of CPN (Unified Socialist) on Wednesday. “Anyone found involved in this crime will be dealt with according to the existing laws.”
