CPN (Maoist Center) Deputy General Secretary Barsha Man Pun has proposed setting up a parliamentary or judicial committee to investigate the recent gold smuggling case.
Addressing a Maoist office-bearers’ meeting held at the prime minister’s residence in Baluwatar on Monday morning, Pun clarified that he had no connection to Belgian national Dawa Tsering who was arrested in connection with the case on Sunday.
He said that attempts were being made to link him to Tsering in a planned manner to divert the government’s campaign against corruption and irregularities elsewhere.
Pun said that Amala Roka, who belongs to a martyr’s family and is also a party cadre in Thawang in his home district of Rolpa, married Tsering and had once brought her husband to Pun’s flat to introduce him.
“After Dawa was arrested, a group photo taken during a gathering eight years ago was publicized linking it with the present incident,” Pun said. “This is an attack on my public image and an assassination of my character.”
Stating that many have been calling for Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha to resign over the gold smuggling case and that attempts were being made to link Maoist Vice-chairman Krishna Bahadur Mahara and him to the case, Pun demanded an investigation into the incident to find out the truth.
He said that he was ready to face any kind of punishment if the investigation found him guilty, adding that other leaders should also be ready to do the same.
He demanded formation of a police team comprising crime investigation experts, a parliamentary committee or a special committee to investigate all those named in the smuggling case.
Pun said that the party and the government should not let off anybody if their involvement in the case is proved.
Addressing the meeting after Pun, Maoist Center Chairman and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said that all incidents of smuggling and corruption would be fairly investigated.
He said that a team of crime investigation experts from the police and the Department of Revenue Investigation under his office was investigating the case, adding that cooperation of all the leaders and cadres of the party as well as the general public was necessary to bring the campaign to a conclusion.
Dahal said that the party’s internal unity should be strong to bring the campaign against corruption and irregularities to its conclusion.
