Govt to overhaul intelligence wing

(Update I at 1800 NST, 1315 GMT)

KATHMANDU, April 20: Home Ministry has unveiled a plan to bring reform in National Investigation Department (NID), the intelligence wing of the government. The plan comes as part of bolstering law and order situation in the country by ensuring intelligence-based policing in the country. [break]



“The National Investigation Department is supposed to be the most effective organization as police too work on the basis of the information supplied by the department,” said Home Minister Bam Dev Gautam. “However, this [NID] has remained almost defunct for years.”



Addressing a news conference at his officer on Monday, Minister Gautam said there is a need to overhaul the department to ensure sound law and order situation in the country.



He said a task force will be formed with a mandate to recommend suggestions to bring reforms to the organization. The government has initially planned to transfer all those staff serving below the position of officer to other security wings including Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force.

At present the NID has a total staff of 1,600. Majority of them are junior officials below inspector. “The NID is an intelligence wing so it needs intelligent manpower,” said Gautam giving justification to his decision to have only officer-level staff in the NID.



The ministry has also proposed to scrap the existing discretionary provision whereby the government can extend the terms of police officers upon completion of 30 years in service.



Gautam said a proposal to this effect has already been sent to the Cabinet for approval.



As per the existing provision in Nepal Police Act, the government can extend the terms of police officials for maximum of two years if it deemed necessary.



The provision, however, has remained controversial as government chose to extend the terms of a few officers, while denying the same favor to many others in the past



On the occasion, Minister Gautam also said the ministry is currently working to form Police Service Commission, Nepal Police Staff College and Regional Police Bureaus and also bring reform in the recruitment of police personnel

Gautam claimed that overall law and order situation in the country has seen remarkable improvement in last few months.



Replying to a query by journalists, Minister Gautam said that the government is trying its best to apprehend Maoist cadre Sujit BK, the main accused in the murder of UML cadre Prachanda Thaiba in Butwal. “It is difficult, however, to curb hooliganism that takes place under political auspices,” he said.

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