CIAA summons 11 persons over 590 ropani land grab case

Published On: May 23, 2019 09:44 AM NPT By: DB BUDHA

JUMLA, May 23: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has given seven days to 11 persons accused of grabbing 590 ropani [30.02 hectares] of land belonging to the Sheep and Goat Research Program (SGRP), in Guthichaur Rural Municipality of Jumla to appear before the commission.

Kavidatta Neupane, Goma Neupane, Parbati Neupane, Keshavraj Neupane, Nabarishi Neupane, Devendra Prasad Upadhyaya, Bishnurishi Sharma, Bishnu Lal Neupane, Bishnu Neupane, Mayalal Neupane and Janakidatta Devkota of Guthichaur-4 have been ordered to appear at the commission within a week or face action. The 11 have been accused of transferring government land in Guthichaur-6 in Jumla to private ownership.

They have been ordered to contact Division no 2 of the commission in Kathmandu. According to Pradip Kumar Koirala, CIAA spokesman, the accused will face stern action if they fail to obey the summons.

In 2009, the then land revenue officer Govinda Prasad Neupane allegedly transferred the ownership of 590 ropani of SGRP land to his kin including his wife and daughter. Surprisingly, the CIAA has not summoned Neupane.

According to the District Administration Office (DAO), Jumla, Neupane has transferred 138 ropani of land to his wife Goma and daughter Parbati. The remaining land has been registered in the name of his relatives.

An investigation committee headed by the then Chief District Officer (CDO) Rudra Prasad Pandit had begun investigation into the case. The team also included assistant CDO Bishnu Parasad Neupane, late Assistant Forest official Shyam Lal Mahat, Survey officer Damodar Wagle among others. Pandit who was appointed as the CDO on March 2016, had learnt about the forgery by Neupane through sources. Pandit’s investigation shows that the land was transferred in the name of 14 individuals.

Some of the accused are already in the commission’s custody, according to spokesman Koirala. He refused to divulge details but said the investigation is in the final stage.