KATHMANDU: A technical employee implicated in the distribution of a counterfeit license, as per the investigation committee's findings by the Department of Transport Management (DoTM), has been transferred to the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), Nepal's constitutional anti-corruption body.
The individual in question, Suraj Prakash Aryal, a computer engineer at the Ministry of Communication, received a three-month transfer to the CIAA, as confirmed by a senior official from the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration (MoFAGA). Aryal allegedly provided a fake license to Sashank Basnet while the latter was in jail; subsequently, Basnet has been released. The DoTM's investigation committee, led by Mukesh Regmi, an IT engineer, recommended action against Aryal.
Following the submission of the committee's report, Aryal was initially transferred from DoTM to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. However, upon a request from the CIAA, Aryal was redirected to the CIAA, which is a common practice facilitated by MoFAGA for various offices, including the President's Office, Public Service Commission, Prime Minister's Office, National Vigilance Center, and the CIAA.
The transition of Aryal to the CIAA has raised concerns among DoTM employees regarding the potential impact on the ongoing investigation into the fake license case. Despite this, the investigation has now been entrusted to the CIAA for further scrutiny.
