The parliamentary party meeting of Nepali Congress (NC) has said that the state's bodies can investigate gold smuggling and a high-level committee is not needed for that.
Many NC lawmakers including Shekhar Koirala, who lost the runoff for NC president to Sher Bahadur Deuba in the last general convention, demanded a high-level committee during the parliamentary party meeting that started on Saturday pointing that the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police and the Department of Revenue Investigation (DRI) cannot conduct thorough investigation in a case where even prime minister (PM), home minister and finance minister may have to be investigated.
But the meeting has concluded that the state's organs can complete investigation in the case.
"The meeting has decided to urge the government to conduct free, fair and in-depth investigation in gold smuggling and other episodes, and prosecute whosoever involved," Chief Whip Ramesh Lekhak said after the meeting. "The bodies that the state has formed permanently will conduct investigation. Let the government take this to conclusion showing urgency and transparency."
Lekhak claimed that the meeting took the decision unanimously but lawmakers from the anti-Deuba faction demanded a high-level committee to investigate gold smuggling while Deuba and those close to him argued against that.
