KATHMANDU, Aug 22: The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police has taken a statement from former Deputy Prime Minister Bijay Kumar Gachhadar and former State Minister Sanjay Saha in connection with the embezzlement of government land belonging to Lalita Niwas in Baluwatar.

Shah's statement was taken in central jail while Gachhadar was called to CIB to record statement. A CIB source said that a statement was taken from them on Monday night.

The CIB also took a statement from former minister Chandra Dev Joshi, for whom an arrest warrant was issued, on Monday night. CIB also took a statement from former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal on Sunday night and Dr Baburam Bhattarai Monday morning. The CIB said that they are trying to get a statement from Dumbar Shrestha as well.

The CIB has said that those who have taken statements will be kept as government witnesses. The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority  (CIAA) also did not make both the former prime ministers defendants in the case because they had no jurisdiction over the decision of the Council of Ministers.

On March 12, 2019, the Council of Ministers led by KP Sharma Oli had sent a letter to the CIB to investigate the case of embezzlement of Lalita Niwas land and CIAA to investigate the matter of corruption. According to the CIB, the investigation has almost been completed. "The investigation is almost complete, now the report will be submitted," said CIB spokesperson SSP Dinesh Acharya.

 
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