Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has removed Dhaka Kumar Shrestha from lawmaker and party member after the audio recording of a phone conversation alleged to be between him and businessman Durga Prasai.
The party’s central committee meeting held on Wednesday has decided to punish Shrestha after audio recording of him purportedly demanding Rs 20 million from promoter of B&C Medical College Durga Prasai was made public.
Talking to reporters after the meeting RSP President Lamichhane said that Shrestha was removed after finding enough grounds to punish him despite him denying that the voice on the audio was not his.
Kapurbot Media on Sunday had published audio recording of what it claims is the deal between Shrestha and Prasai.
Shrestha, who was elected to the House of Representatives (HoR) through the Proportional Representation electoral system, can be heard telling Prasai that the amount was needed to give 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.
Lamichhane also revealed that Shrestha threatened the party’s discipline committee to finish RSP if he were punished. “He has been repeatedly changing his version. His guilt was proven also because the audio was recorded in January. He was allowed to present his version (in the party) repeatedly,” Lamichhane stated. “He also wished that he were not removed but also warned that he would show the party if he were punished.”
He claimed that he did not know who Shrestha was referring to as his men in the ‘core team’ in the audio recording. “Why not punish if facts are uncovered about the core team? He has now come to one level of bargaining. What should be known is we will assist the CIAA,” Lamichhane stressed.
Lamichhane added that Shrestha had the option of appealing with the party if he were not satisfied with the decision to punish him.
The party had suspended Shrestha immediately after the audio recording was made public and instructed the central discipline and conduct committee to investigate facts about the telephone conversation and submit the report to the central committee within three days.
RSP has also decided to send acid attack survivor Bindabasini Kansakar as HoR member through the PR electoral system to replace Shrestha.
