The deadline given to the police by the Patan High Court to produce fugitive former physical infrastructure minister of Karnali and contractor Khadga Bahadur Khatri has expired on Sunday.
"The Nepal Police headquarters was also informed about the deadline that expired on Sunday," Spokesperson at the Patan High Court Mohan Subedi told Setopati. "The bench would surely ask the police why they did not produce him within the deadline."
Khatri, who was elected to the provincial assembly from Surkhet-1(B) on a CPN-UML ticket, is currently absconding after the Patan High Court issued an arrest warrant on a banking offense case on Monday.
Khatri, who provided bank guarantee for a contract, has been accused of forging documents for two bank guarantee worth Rs 11 million.
The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police, that has been investigating the case of banking offense filed by Ratna Park branch of Agriculture Development Bank Limited, has said it has written to the provincial government to facilitate attendance of Khatri.
"We received orders to produce him. We tried to do that within the deadline given as well," a CIB source stated. "We will even arrest him if he does not report for attendance."
Karnali government has already removed Khatri from the cabinet.
Khatri has five road contracts worth around Rs 700 million in the province in a clear case of conflict of interest.
KSK Construction owned by Khatri, his kid brother Lokesh and another Surya Khatri, is constructing Botechaur-Dharapani road (Rs 168.20 million), Suwaghat-Pipaltar road (Rs 124.50 million), Ratnarajmarga-Nayagaun-Sanosurkhet road (Rs 217.40 million), Pipira-Deutibajyai-Amritdanda road (Rs 173.0 million) and Mathillo Dungeshwore-Dullu-Pipalkot road (Rs 18.70 million).
Khatri, as physical infrastructure minister, had been overseeing these contracts as a line minister in a clear case of conflict of interest. Khatri's ministry had been monitoring these projects brought by the provincial government last year.
Progress of none of these projects is satisfactory. . "Progress of these roads is not satisfactory. The contractor is minister's company. What can we say?" an officer at the Divisional Road Office, Surkhet had told Setopati.
