Subcommittee probes Karki's decisions, directives

Published On: January 25, 2017 12:30 AM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

KATHMANDU, Jan 25: A sub-committee under the Impeachment Recommendation Committee (IRC) of parliament has started investigating decisions and directives made by disqualified CIAA chief Lokman Singh Karki during his term in office.

After asking concerned authorities to provide decisions and directives made by Karki during his tenure, the probe sub-committee has started studying them, said a member of the parliamentary panel.

The three-member panel held discussion with Chief Secretary Som Lal Subedi, secretary at the Commission for the Investigation of the Abuse of Authority (CIAA) Rajendra Kishor Chhetri, officials of the Nepal Medical Council and Kathmandu University on Tuesday about the decisions and directives made by Karki.

Sub-committee coordinator Ram Narayan Bidari said that the committee has been studying whether the decision or directives by Karki as CIAA chief were in accordance with the law or not. The committee has received 53 directives and letters from the CIAA so far, said a member.

Sources said the Office of the Prime Minister and CIAA have already provided the copies of the directives and decisions taken by Karki during his term in office. Karki was at the helm of the CIAA for over three years from May 2013 to October 2016. He had been suspended from the post after 157 lawmakers registering impeachment motion against him in parliament last year. The Supreme Court, hearing on a writ petition against the appointment of Karki, annulled his appointment also disqualifying him to lead the anti graft body.

The IRC has tasked the sub-committee with the responsibility of submitting its findings within 15 days. Bidari from CPN (Maoist Center), Dipak Kuinkel of Nepali Congress (NC) and Rewati Raman Bhandari of CPN-UML are members of the probe sub-committee.

Earlier, lawmakers were divided over whether to take forward the impeachment motion filed against Karki, as the Supreme Court has already annulled his appointment as CIAA chief.