'No intention to prevent wide body scam probe'

Published On: February 8, 2019 05:30 AM NPT By: Republica  | @RepublicaNepal


KATHMANDU, Feb 8: Information Minister Gokul Prasad Baskota said on Thursday that the government would probe the alleged scam in Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) wide body purchase deal.

Last month, a subcommittee under the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee had released a damning report accusing top officials including current and former ministers of embezzling Rs 4.35 billion.

Baskota said that the government was preparing to launch a fair and independent investigation into the alleged scam. He said that action will be taken against those involved in the scam.

“The government doesn't have any intention to prevent the probe [in the wide-body scam. The process will move forward,” Minister Baskota told reporters during a regular briefing to the media on Thursday.

In its report, the PAC subcommittee has blamed incumbent Tourism Minister Rabindra Adhikari and former ministers-- Jivan Bahadur Shahi and Jitendra Dev--- for failing to prevent the"bad" deal. Other accused include NAC Managing Director Sugat Ratna Kansakar, two incumbent secretaries, Prem Kumar Rai and Krishna Prasad Devkota, and former secretary Shankar Prasad Adhikari who had once served as NAC chairman.


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