KATHMANDU, Jan 22: The Department of Money Laundering Investigation (DoMLI) has started a probe saying that a sum of Rs 25 million was discovered in the bank account of Under Secretary Keshav Aryal and that it could be linked to the distribution of driving licenses (smart licenses) to individuals who had not passed the trial and written examinations.

The DoMLI has started probing the source of Rs 25 million deposited by computer operator Laxman Pandey in the account of Under Secretary Keshav Aryal. “Laxman Pandey, the computer operator of the Butwal Transport Office, seems to have deposited Rs 25 million in the account of Under Secretary Keshav Aryal. An investigation has been started into that matter," said a source at the DoMLI.

The irregular distribution of licenses has prompted internal investigations within the Department of Transport Management (DoTM), leading to the submission of details and a report to the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) for further examination.

"Now a complaint has been received about some employees and the director general who was in charge of the DoTM in the past. An investigation is being carried out," said a top official of the DoMLI. Director General of DoTM Uddhav Rijal said that the necessary details along with the investigation report have been submitted to the CIAA. The CIAA is currently investigating about 150,000 licenses, both old and new, granted illegally.

After the CIAA started the investigation, a complaint was filed at the DoMLI that the employees of the transport office had accepted bribes in exchange for driving licenses.

Certain DoTM employees, including Ishwari Bhatta, Bhabindra Karki, Ramchandra Paudel, Harish Bhatta, and some middlemen, have approached the Ministry of Federal Affairs (MoFA) seeking transfers for themselves.

After knowing this, the director general of the DoTM, Rijal, has also asked the secretary of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport (MoPIT) to transfer them from the DoTM. "Director General Rijal came to the MoPIT on Friday asking either to transfer him or else to transfer them," the ministry source said.

Rijal has alleged that the employees who approached the MoFA for transfer hindered his work and attempted to involve middlemen in the process. "Some employees and middlemen of the DoTM are trying to drive out the Director General and others," the DoTM source said.

It is mentioned in the investigation report that licenses were distributed illegally with the collaboration of the employees of the DoTM. According to CIAA sources, two under secretaries and five computer engineers of the DoTM have been directly involved in the illegal distribution of smart licenses. The director generals who took over the responsibility of the DoTM after 2072 BS have also been dragged into the investigation.

During the period when licenses were illegally issued, the director of the information technology wing of the DoTM was Srichandra Sah and Pabitra Dangol. Similarly, Rajkumar Maharjan, Keshabraj Gautam, Kapila Shrestha Thebe, Santosh Pokharel, Suraj Prakash Aryal and Bhanubhakta Joshi were the computer engineers serving during that period. 

Maharjan has now been promoted to Under Secretary. Aryal has also been transferred to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. He is subordinate to Maharjan in the ministry. It is mentioned in the investigation report that more than 100,000 smart licenses have been issued illegally since 2072 BS.

An employee of the DoTM said, "There has been give and take of millions of rupees in the distribution of licenses in an irregular manner. As soon as the investigation starts, employees and middlemen seek transfers.” “The CIB will also conduct an investigation into this matter,” the employee added.

Investigation committee deployed to probe procurement of smart card license printing machines and software

The MoPIT has formed a three-member committee under the coordination of Under Secretary of the Ministry Binod Khadka on Sunday to investigate whether there were any irregularities in the process initiated by the DoTM to purchase smart card license printing machines and software. Dinesh Adhikari and Firoz Alam are members of the committee.

The committee has been asked to submit its report within 15 days. MoPIT Secretary Keshav Sharma said that a committee has been formed to investigate the procurement process of smart card license printing machines (printer). In mid-November, the DoTM had called for a tender for the purchase of smart card license printers, 1.55 million smart cards, and software at a cost of Rs 410 million.

The tender is currently being evaluated. SELP Group of France and MK Smart of Vietnam have filled the tender forms. The DoTM is accused of not allowing other than two companies to fill the form after damaging the server of the public procurement approval office on the last day of the deadline for filling the tender form. A complaint has been filed with the CIAA and the MoPIT.

The DoTM had also called for tenders last year to purchase smart card licenses. The tender was won by Germany's Muehlbauer Company Company. According to the same tender, Muehlbauer Company has already sent 600,000 smart license cards. It is said that the remaining 600,000 cards will be sent within a few days.

Former directors general accused of issuing dubious and fake licenses

During the tenure of the former Director General of DoTM Rupnarayan Bhattarai, it has been found that fake and suspicious driving license (license) was issued the most. This has been confirmed by a committee formed to investigate suspiciously stored data in the Electronic Driving License and Vehicle Registration System. The committee has also mentioned in its report the list of 10 former directors general who issued such licenses.

According to the committee's report, it was found that 31,662 fake and suspicious licenses were issued during the tenure of former director general Bhattarai. Bhattarai worked as the director general of the DoTM from March 4, 2017 to May 25, 2018.

According to the report of the committee received by Republica, nine more former directors general were also found to have issued fake and suspicious licenses.

Bhattarai is the first director general to issue such licenses while Gogan Bahadur Hamal and Namraj Ghimire are the second and third respectively. As many as 10,535 and 8,200 licenses have been issued respectively during the tenure of them as director general.

Former director general Hamal worked as the director general of the DoTM from November 25, 2019 to March 4, 2021 and Ghimire from March 15, 2021 to July 3, 2022.

Similarly, during the tenure of former directors general Lawanya Kumar Dhakal and Kumar Prasad Dahal as many as 7,394 and 3,549 suspicious and fake licenses were issued, respectively.

Dhakal worked at the DoTM from July 30, 2018 to March 5, 2019 while another former director general Dahal served from March 11, 2019 to August 11, 2019.

Similarly, during the tenures of former directors general Chanda Man Shrestha, Tulsinath Gautam, Tokraj Pandey, Narayan Prasad Bhattarai and Suresh Raut, as many as 1459, 1136, 1084, 697 and 350 dubious and fake licenses were issued, respectively.

 
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