Various sports-related organizations in the district have submitted a memorandum to the Chief District Officer demanding action against those involved in sports budget irregularities.

They submitted a memorandum to Chief District Officer Rekha Kandel on Wednesday demanding legal action against Sports Development Committee Khotang Chairman Ramesh Rai 'Mahesh' and Office Chief Lilabhakta KC for their involvement in the budget irregularities sent by the Koshi Province Sports Development Board for the preparation of the 10th National Sports Competition.

In connivance with Rai and KC, out of the 8 lakhs sent by the Koshi Province Sports Development Board, 676 thousand rupees were withdrawn from an account in the Agricultural Development Bank in Diktel and the amount was returned immediately, as well as legal action against those involved in the embezzlement.

They submitted a memorandum demanding legal action against those involved, stating that 38 thousand on 2081 Magh 19, 125 thousand on Chaitra 11, 420 thousand on Chaitra 31, 10 thousand on Baisakh 23, 2082, 43 thousand on Shrawan 11, 2082 and 40 thousand on Magh 11, 2082, totaling 676 thousand, and demanded legal action against those involved.

Sanjay Kumar Rai, Chairman of Nepal Sports Foundation Khotang, said that they have drawn the attention of the Chief District Officer to the fact that the sports sector has been brought to a zero status by ignoring the correspondence sent by the Koshi Province Sports Development Board to deposit the amount on 2082 Jestha 14, Shrawan 20 and Kartik 17.

In the memorandum, they have objected that instead of sitting in a dignified position like the chairman of the District Sports Development Committee and working for the development of the sports sector and the rights and interests of the players, the district's sports activities have been reduced to zero by misappropriating the budget received for sports competitions and depriving the players of the opportunity to play sports by not holding the President's Running Shield competition for 2 years, thereby demoralizing the players and pushing the entire sports sector backward.

Of the 8 lakhs sent by the Provincial Sports Development Board, 656 thousand were taken by Chairman Rai as an advance and 20 thousand were spent on Masalanda, said Office Chief Lilabhakta KC. The other 144 thousand were spent on the provincial women's football competition held in Buipa in Ashar, he said.

Stating that Chairman Rai did not release it with ulterior motives, he had said on 30th Jestha, that the amount taken as an advance would be collected within 3 days. However, the memorandum had to be submitted as it has not been returned yet, said Milan Kasaju, president of Nepal Sitorio Karate Association Khota. Chief District Officer Kandel has said that they will discuss the matter. ‘What is the matter, let’s discuss it once,’ said Kandel.

The memorandum includes Nepal Karate Federation Khotang president Suman Rai, District Sports Kabaddi Association Khotang president Chandra Kumar Shrestha, District Badminton Association Khotang president Parshuram Thapa Ashish, Nepal Sitorio Karate Association Khotang president Milan Kasaju, District Athletics Association Khotang vice president Dhaniram Rai, Nepal Taekwondo Association Khotang secretary Mohan Rai, Nepal Sports Foundation president Sanjay Kumar Rai, Karate international coach Motichandra Rai, Volleyball International Coach Jitendra Rai, Volleyball coach and referee Milan Rai, District Intelligence Association Khotang Vice President Krishna Gurung and Football player and referee Shailendra Bajimay have signed the memorandum.