The probe commission formed by the government calling the report prepared by the subcommittee under the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the parliament about procurement of two wide-body planes by the Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) erroneous has expired without even starting its work.
The deadline of the commission formed on January 3, a day after the subcommittee made its report public, with a 45-day mandate has expired on Saturday without the office-bearers even being formally informed about formation of the commission and their appointment.
The Cabinet had formed the high level probe commission under former justice Govinda Prasad Parajuli, and including former deputy attorney general Nanda Prasad Pathak and chartered accountant Madan Sharma, labeling the subcommittee's report that concluded that Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari was complicit in corruption of Rs 4.3556 billion during the procurement process erroneous.
The government's decision to form the probe commission challenging the parliamentary committee was widely criticized for violating the principle of separation of powers between the executive and the legislature. Some say that the government did not get the investigations carried out due to the criticisms.
But Minister for Communication and Information Technology Gokul Baskota claimed the government has not abandoned investigation on procurement of the airplanes. Baskota argued that chairman of the commission Parajuli was not handed a letter for investigation of the procurement process as he is currently working on another government commission. "He was not handed a letter to initiate investigation as doing so before he finished his assignment would have made it difficult for him. We will hand the letter over to him once he finishes that work," he added.
He reiterated that the government will not step back from investigation but refused to say what will happen to the commission now. "Work will start even after expiry of 45-day deadline if the government gives a letter extending the term. But we will have to hold discussion about whether to extend the term or not if the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) were to start investigation. I cannot say what will happen now," he elaborated.
Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali speaking to Setopati after formation of the probe commission had claimed the subcommittee did not investigate completing due procedures and the subcommittee led by Nepali Congress (NC) lawmaker Rajan KC had politicized investigation even as the seven-member subcommittee had only another NC lawmaker in Meena Subba while there were Krishna Lal Maharjan, Dharmasheela Chapagain and Prem Bahadur Ale from the ruling CPN, Pradeep Yadav from coalition partner Federal Socialist Forum Nepal, and Chanda Chaudhary of Rastriya Janata Party Nepal that has supported the government.
