KATHMANDU, May 8: A former computer officer of the Department of Transport Management (DoTM) has been arrested in connection with the fake driving license distribution case. On Tuesday, the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police arrested Basanta Pandey, a former employee of the DoTM.

Pandey had been employed on a contract basis at the DoTM until Dashain. However, suspicions arose regarding his role in the distribution of fake licenses, prompting the current Director General, Uddhav Rijal, to refrain from extending his contract.

A former Director General of the DoTM exerted pressure to retain Pandey under contract, citing Pandey as his brother. Despite the pressure, the current Director General opted against extending Pandey's contract.

The CIB has detained Pandey for further investigation. Earlier, during the course of the investigation, Harish Bhatta, Suraj Prakash Aryal, Narayan Prasad Pandey, Lujaras Danuwar, Pradeep Sunar, Ajit Mishra, and Milan Bastola were also arrested. Bhatta and Aryal were taken into custody by the CIB on April 27.

According to sources, Aryal would purportedly create a fake 'user' to change the details while Bhatta was involved in printing the fake licenses, according to the source. Additionally, CIB apprehended Narayan Pandey, a computer operator hired on contract by the Transport Management Office, Lumbini, on April 28. All individuals implicated in the case are currently in CIB custody.

The CIB has also detained Danuwar, Sunar, Mishra and Bastola for interrogation as they have been suspected of possessing fake licenses. Danuwar was arrested on April 29, Sunar on April 30, Mishra on May 1 and Bastola on May 2.

 
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