A second audio recording of Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) lawmaker Dhaka Kumar Shrestha has been made public.
A day after releasing an audio recording of a phone conversation between Shrestha and businessman Durga Prasai, Kapurbot TV has published another audio recording on Monday.
According to Kapurbot TV, the second audio recording includes a phone call Shrestha had made to Yadu Gautam, a member of Prasai’s team, after the first audio recording was released on Sunday.
In the latter part of the audio recording published on Monday, a person, purportedly Shrestha, can be heard telling Gautam that it would make things easier for him if Prasai spoke in his favor.
He requests the other person, purportedly Gautam, for mediation saying it would send a positive message and make things easier if Prasai spoke about his audio. He also says there is no use stretching the matter further.
The other person says he is inside a vehicle and then disconnects the call saying they would discuss the matter later.
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In the earlier part of the audio, a person who calls himself Shrestha’s bhai (younger brother) calls Prasai.
Shrestha’s brother tells Prasai that the party will now take action against Shrestha and that he will lose the post of lawmaker.
Prasai says it’s not Shrestha’s fault but rather of those who made him ask for money, and asks how he can help in the matter.
Shrestha’s brother then says Prasai should understand that his brother has been made a scapegoat and that he wishes to meet Prasai.
Prasai asks him to tell Shrestha to meet in the evening, saying he is attending a microfinance event in Birgunj. He also expresses displeasure at the fact that party chiefs take money for making lawmaker and also for making minister.
Kapurbot TV has also published a video of the person who calls himself Shrestha’s brother.
Kapurbot Media on Sunday published an audio recording of what it claims is a deal of Rs 20 million between Shrestha and Prasai. Shrestha can be heard telling Prasai that the amount is needed to be given to RSP President Rabi Lamichhane’s men for Shrestha to become health minister.
The conversation took place at the start of January, as Prasai informs in the audio, when RSP was negotiating in the then ruling coalition also including CPN-UML to get the Health Ministry. Shrestha can be heard telling Prasai that Lamichhane would make him heath minister only if he hands over Rs 20-25 million to Lamichhane's men.
Shrestha was elected to the House of Representatives (HoR) through the Proportional Representation electoral system.
