KATHMANDU, Aug 1: Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister has appointed Rajukumar Khatri as a member of Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT).
Khatri previously served as a member of PADT from 2073 BS to 2077 BS, during which his role sparked controversies. Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sudan Kirati's decision to appoint Khatri comes after a post fell vacant at PADT after the term of Arjun Bastola came to an end recently.
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Khatri's appointment has courted controversy due to his alleged closeness to Milan Thapa, the current member secretary of the trust's fund. Khatri has been appointed for a four-year term based on a ministerial decision, and during this tenure, he is expected to face scrutiny over his involvement in the Nepal Bharat Dharamshala Batas Group leasing issue and the Jalhari scandal within Pashupati.
It's worth noting that in 2077 BS, when Khatri's previous term was concluding, Thapa, who was then the treasurer of PADT, appointed Khatri as a member of the Jalhari Management Committee. Despite the end of his term, Khatri remained involved in the Jalhari construction matter. Furthermore, there are claims that Khatri played a significant role in allowing the Batas Group to construct a physical structure resembling a five-star hotel within Pashupati Dharamshala.
The Ministry of Tourism has defended Khatri's appointment, stating that it adheres to the provisions of the PADT Act 2044 BS. However, questions have been raised about the decision, given Thapa's controversial re-appointment to the development sector of the trust following the end of his four-year tenure as treasurer in Bhadra 2078 BS. Thapa has been accused of irregularities related to the Jalhari scandal and the lease of Dharamshala to the Batas group. The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority is currently conducting an investigation into the Jalhari scandal, and the matter is reaching its final stages.
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