KATHMANDU, Nov 16: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) on Wednesday arrested Director General of the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) Bishwaraj Pandey on the charge of taking bribe from a manpower agency.

He was arrested on the basis of the statement given by two DoFE officials --Tripti Ballav Paudel and Khadka KC --  who were arrested from Indreni Foodland, New Baneshwar with Rs 1 million bribe money on Tuesday.

Pandey was arrested by a CIAA team from his private residence in Chabahil Wednesday for investigations after he was caught on tape allegedly bargaining for bribes with a Kathmandu-based manpower agency operator.

Earlier the Supreme Court acting on a petition had suspended [and later lifted] the operations of SRS Overseas, which is owned by Subhadra Baral. The court order came after 52 Nepali youths sent by SRS Overseas to the UAE for security guard jobs were stranded in the Gulf nation and they moved the court upon their return home. 

"Supreme Court had ordered to lift the restriction placed on the manpower agency. But the Department [of Foreign Employment] was found dilly-dallying to implement the court verdict," said Deputy Spokesperson at CIAA Khagendra Rijal. "Two DoFE officials were arrested with Rs 1 million bribe yesterday [Tuesday] in this case. And Pandey has been arrested in the same case."

Sources said CIAA team arrested Paudel and KC with the bribe money after tip-off from SRS Overseas Director Baral. Also, the audio tape was provided to the CIAA by Baral himself.

 
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