Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli has defended his protégé Gokul Baskota who resigned as Communication and Information Technology Minister after allegations of demanding commission for procurement of security printing press.
Addressing a training program for CPN cadres of Bagmati province in Kathmandu on Thursday, he clarified that Baskota has resigned not because he was involved in corruption but because questions were raised about him.
"An idiot has made audio public in a tape episode. There is no evidence," Oli said. "Gokul Baskota has said he resigned because questions were raised about me. He has said the audio is not his. Its authenticity has not been established. The Swiss Embassy has also said the person is not the agent."
Baskota has yet to publicly state that the voice in the tape is not his.
"It is not necessary to publicize it like corruption. He should face punishment if there is guilt. No complaint has been filed until now," he added.
He pointed that some have lodged a complaint linking him to the scam and called it a farce. "That is a farcical complaint. It is a corrupt complaint," he claimed.
He questioned how can a Swiss agent be involved when there is direct communication with the German and French governments about security printing press. "I am not trying to defend anyone. Gokul Baskota will be punished if he is guilty. The one lying will be punished if not."
Baskota resigned last Thursday after the audio tape purporting him to be bargaining for commission in procurement of security printing press.
PM Oli has defended Baskota when some are asking for even his resignation claiming that he knew about the tape a few months back.
