Former physical infrastructure minister of Karnali and contractor Khadga Bahadur Khatri has reported to the Patan High Court in connection to bank offense case.
Registrar at the Patan High Court Baburam Dahal said Khatri came to the court Wednesday afternoon and his statement is being recorded by the bench of chief justice at the court Nahakul Subedi and justice Tek Narayan Kunwar.
Khatri, who was elected to the provincial assembly from Surkhet-1(B) on a CPN-UML ticket, was absconding after the Patan High Court issued an arrest warrant on a banking offense case three weeks back. He was put on the wanted list after he did not report to the court within the stipulated deadline.
Khatri, who provided bank guarantee for a contract, has been accused of forging documents for two bank guarantee worth Rs 11 million.
Karnali government has already removed him 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.
