Onta tenders resignation
KATHMANDU, Dec 18: A cabinet meeting on Friday appointed AIG Durja Kumar Rai as acting Inspector General of the Armed Police Force (APF), after suspending incumbent IGP Kosh Raj Onta. Onta’s suspension comes following a recommendation to that effect by the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) over his alleged involvement in financial irregularities and corruption.
The CIAA on Thursday recommended to the government to suspend APF chief Onta and three other officers from their posts in order to investigate their alleged involvement in corruption while transporting arms, ammunition and other logistics to various APF units across the country. The government, however, did not accept Onta’s resignation and instead decided to suspend him for three months.
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After the cabinet meeting at the PM’s residence at Baluwatar, Minister for General Administration Rekha Sharma said, “The cabinet meeting today has appointed Rai as acting chief of the APF on the basis of seniority.” Sharma further said, “The decision to promote him was taken as the Prime Minister himself was for the appointment of the IGP on the basis of seniority.”
Of the six AIGPs-- Rai, Jiban Thapa, Krishna Tamang, Singha Bahadur Shrestha, Prem Bahadur Shahi and Prakash Ojha -- Rai and Thapa were promoted on the same day on 3rd November 2011. Tamang, who is third in seniority, was promoted alone and the three others were promoted last year on the same day.
Rai will be promoted to IGP in April 2016 and is likely to serve foir about 14 months after he heads the para-military force. Thapa is likely to retire soon on completion of the 30-year service period.
Some ministers were reportedly against the promotion of Rai to the top post and lobbied for Thapa’s appointment instead. Rai was accused of using excessive force during the Jana Andolan-2, following a probe by a high level judicial commission led by former Supreme Court justice Krihna Jung Rayamajhi.
During the promotion of Rai from DIG, the Ministry of Home Affairs was criticized for bypassing seniority.
From 2009 to 2011, Rai served with the Western Regional Armed Police Force as battalion commander. He has also served as head of the department of border security and that related to human resources development, at different times. He also participated in UN missions and trainings at home and abroad in strategic planning, hostage negotiations, incident management and war tactics, among others.
Before the cabinet decision to suspend him, Onta had tendered his resignation to Home Ministry Secretary Narayan Gopal Malego.
According to sources close to the Home Ministry, Onta in his resignation stated that he was innocent of the allegations against him and his resignation was meant to facilitate further investigations by the CIAA. However, officials at the Ministry said that the move was a face-saving bid after the CIAA started probing alleged financial irregularities.
The CIAA had recommended suspension of Onta along with three other APF officers as they were allegedly found directly involved in the embezzlement of over Rs 90 million through the use of forged bills and other documents. In its statement, the CIAA had asked the government to suspend them immediately as their continuation in their posts might result in the destruction or hiding of evidence relating to the case, thereby hindering further investigations.
Brief sketch of Durja Kumar Rai
Born on 16th November, 1961 in Bhojpur District
Joined Nepal Police as an inspector on February 15, 1987
Transferred to Armed Police Force (AFP) on April 17, 2001
Promoted to AIG on November 3, 2011
