KATHMANDU, Sept 1: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has expressed dissatisfaction with the performance of the Department of Revenue Investigation (DoRI), Department of Money Laundering Investigation (DoMLI), and National Investigation Department, which were brought under the Prime Minister’s Office during his second term. Oli has criticized these agencies for not paying attention to public concerns and has shown dissatisfaction with their lack of effective work.
Prime Minister Oli's dissatisfaction with the departments stems from complaints received at the Prime Minister's Office about the DoMLI, and DoRI staff allegedly causing difficulties for traders and acting like middlemen.
On August 25, during the annual review and the Ministry-Level Development Problem Solving Committee meeting at the Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, PM Oli expressed dissatisfaction with the heads of the three departments, stating that they had failed to perform effectively.
On the other hand, Prime Minister Oli expressed dissatisfaction with the National Investigation Department for failing to collect information effectively, noting the rise in smuggling, the weakening of mechanisms for criminal activity information, and the increasing focus on personal rather than national espionage.
Prime Minister Oli had decided on February 28, 2019, to bring the National Investigation Department, the DoMLI, and the DoRI under the Prime Minister's Office from the Home Ministry and Ministry of Finance.
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Although the aim was to enhance the National Investigation Department by bringing it under the Prime Minister's Office, subsequent Prime Ministers have faced criticism for not effectively utilizing it. The National Investigation Department was moved to the Prime Minister's Office for improved intelligence operations. However, efforts to strengthen the department faltered at the policy level. PM Oli also expressed dissatisfaction with how the intelligence apparatus, brought under the Prime Minister's Office during his tenure, was used by other prime ministers for politically targeting opposition leaders.
On August 25, Prime Minister Oli questioned Hut Raj Thapa, the head of the National Investigation Department, about the smuggling of gold at the airport, asking, "Where was your intelligence mechanism?" Thapa responded by saying it was the responsibility of the Department of Customs and Department of Immigration. Oli then asked Thapa, "Since the Department of Immigration is established to handle immigration and the Department of Customs is responsible for customs, if you are unaware of such crimes, why are you stationed there?"
On August 25, Prime Minister Oli directed that the National Investigation Department should handle not only espionage but also counterintelligence operations. He stated that if the department could not perform these functions effectively, there would be no point in keeping the department as it is, and he demanded immediate results. He also warned that no one would be spared if there were weaknesses in intelligence operations.
Prime Minister Oli stated that he is aware of the activities of the DoMLI summoning businesspersons and employees for complaints that do not even constitute an offense, making them fill out property disclosure forms, and engaging in intimidating activities.
The DoMLI, established to handle specialized offenses related to money laundering, has been regularly summoning government employees and mid-level businesspersons. It has been found that the DoMLI is creating fake complaints, making them fill out asset disclosure forms, and intimidating them by claiming they have unauthorized assets.
After businesspeople and employees complained that the DoMLI itself was creating false complaints to summon and intimidate individuals, Prime Minister Oli expressed dissatisfaction with the current work, discussing the duties, rights, and effectiveness of the DoMLI.
Under the direction of the then Director General Pushpa Raj Shahi, the DoMLI's officials had harassed employees and businesspeople who were performing their duties. This issue eventually reached the Prime Minister's Office and the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority.
Prime Minister Oli expressed dissatisfaction with various offices, including the Public Procurement Monitoring Office, the National Vigilance Center, and Nepal Trust, for their ineffectiveness in controlling smuggling, corruption, and misuse of state assets. Reminding of past incidents where up to 33 kg of gold were smuggled from the Tribhuvan International Airport, he claimed that the state's loss of significant revenue and the rise of irregularities were due to the lack of responsibility of the concerned agencies.
"Such activities will no longer be tolerated; smuggling will not be allowed to continue. Be determined to fulfill your responsibilities. If there are issues with defining your work scope, address them. Protect the country from ruin and work to instill hope and trust in the people. If we cannot prove our effectiveness, then there is no need to establish state agencies just to provide jobs," Prime Minister Oli stated firmly.
He also reminded that he had brought those agencies under the Prime Minister’s Office six years ago to ensure they perform well. He questioned how it was possible that no one knew about gold smuggling occurring at the airport, highlighting the failure of the system.
On the other hand, he urged that the National Vigilance Centre’s role should not be limited to merely taking attendance and that such institutions should prove their worth. Addressing the National Vigilance Centre specifically, Prime Minister Oli metaphorically said that it is not possible to keep a cow that does not produce milk simply by feeding it fodder.
