The Money Laundering Investigation Department had written to four agencies seeking details of the accused. So far, only the National Bank has provided the details. Even then, only the bank account number is mentioned. Details of shares, companies and real estate have not been received.
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Government agencies have been confused in the investigation of movable and immovable properties of three former prime ministers, two former ministers and others who have been implicated in the money laundering investigation. The Money Laundering Investigation Department had written to four agencies demanding details of the accused. So far, only the National Bank has provided the details. Even then, only the bank account numbers are mentioned.
After the formation of a civilian government on the foundation of the Gen-G movement, the Department of Money Laundering Investigation had started investigating the assets of former Prime Ministers Sher Bahadur Deuba, KP Sharma Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal, former Foreign Minister Arju Rana Deuba, former Energy Minister Deepak Khadka, the Deuba couple's son Jaybir Singh Deuba and former Foreign Minister Rana's brother Bhushan Rana.
The department had written letters to the Department of Land Management and Records, the Company Registrar's Office and the Nepal Securities Board, respectively, requesting details of land, companies and shares in the names of them and their close relatives. The department had asked for bank account and transaction details from the National Bank.
Letters were sent to the Company Registrar's Office and the National Bank on 12 Asoj and to the Department of Land Management and Records and the Nepal Securities Board on 30 Asoj. 'The National Bank has sent details of bank accounts. No details have been received from other bodies,' said an official of the department.
Although there have been allegations that the leaders and their relatives who have been in power for a long time have been laundering their wealth illegally, they have not been brought under the purview of the investigation. On 24 Bhadra, when protesters set fire to the residences of former Prime Ministers Deuba and Dahal and former Minister Khadka, videos and photos of burnt notes were shared on social media. The department had reached the homes of Deuba, Dahal and Khadka and collected the documents.
The notes and other materials collected at that time were sent to the forensic science laboratory for examination. The department had written to the Central Investigation Bureau of the police on 2 Ashoban seeking its report. However, an official of the department informed that the report had not yet been received from the bureau.
On 2 Ashoban, a team of the department had raided the Jawalakhel residence of former Foreign Minister Rana's brother Bhushan Rana and seized documents and equipment. Securities and Exchange Board of Nepal Chairman Santosh Narayan Shrestha said that letters received from various agencies could not even be registered due to the employee agitation. ‘Regular work has been halted since 7 Ashoja due to the employee agitation,’ he said. The agitation is going on there after the Sushila Karki-led government cut the service facilities of the board’s employees.
An official of the Nepal Rastra Bank informed that the details were provided to the department on Wednesday. According to him, more than a dozen accounts have been found in the names of former Foreign Minister Rana and former Energy Minister Khadka for Nepali and foreign currency transactions. 3/4 accounts have been found in the names of Deuba, Dahal and Oli. ‘Now, the investigating agency will have to ask the concerned bank for the details of the financial transactions that have been made through the accounts,’ the official said.
The Land Management and Records Department has stated that the details of the houses and properties in the names of the accused are yet to be collected. ‘After the Asset Laundering Investigation Department, a circular was sent to all 77 Land Revenue Offices across the country to find out where the houses and properties are in their names, but the details have not been received,’ said an official of the department. Officials from the Companies Registrar's Office did not want to be contacted.
