Nepali Congress (NC) has decided to not suspend its central member and former home minister Bal Krishna Khand, who was arrested in the fake Bhutanese refugees scam on Wednesday, for now.
A few office-bearers opined during the meeting of current and former office-bearers on Thursday that he should be suspended as a grave accusation had been made against him while a few others argued that he need not be suspended as his guilt has yet to be proved.
“The accused is deemed guilty only after court’s verdict. The government must conduct impartial investigation on the fake Bhutanese refugees scam,” NC Joint General Secretary Jeevan Pariyar told journalists after the meeting. “The guilty should not be spared at any cost and innocent not dragged in.”
He pointed that Khand had been cooperating in investigation. “Congress is not for saving the guilty. Let the facts and truths be investigated. The party is united over helping investigation.”
He revealed that the example of CPN-UML suspending Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, who is absconding after issue of arrest warrant in the scam, as secretary was also discussed during the meeting. But the grand old party still did not decide to suspend Khand. “NC should not form formal position now on an issue sub judice in the court,” he added.
He also claimed that there was no dispute in the meeting on Thursday. But another office-bearer stated that opinions were divided inside the party on the issue of Khand’s suspension. “The day the central committee meeting is convened this issue will be discussed, and decision taken at that time. The meeting of office-bearers cannot even take a decision,” the office-bearer pointed.
Pariyar revealed that the meeting also discussed policy convention, central committee meeting and completing the party’s departments and sister organizations.
