The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police has recorded statement of Nepali Congress (NC) lawmaker Binod Chaudhary in connection with the Bansbari land grab scam.
Superintendent of Police Hobindra Bogati at the CIB said that statement of lawmaker Chaudhary is being recorded since seven Thursday morning and has yet to be completed. It also recorded statement of Binod Chaudhary's sibling Basanta Chaudhary on Wednesday.
The CIB on Wednesday wrote to House of Representatives Speaker Dev Raj Ghimire informing him that it is investigating NC lawmaker Chaudhary in connection with the Bansbari land grab scam.
The CIB is investigating the transfer of ownership of 10 ropanis of public land belonging to the erstwhile Bansbari Leather and Shoe Factory to individuals through document forgery.
On Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane instructed police to also investigate lawmaker Chaudhary in the case.
Speaking in the House of Representatives meeting on Monday, lawmaker Chaudhary claimed that they had purchased the land through government auction.
The CIB had arrested Arun Chaudhary, who was also the promoter of Champion Footwear Limited, the then executive chairman of Bansbari Leather and Shoe Factory Ajit Narayan Singh Thapa, and promoter of Chandbagh Residency Private Limited Sanjay Thakur on January 31 over their involvement in converting the public land into private property.
The Kathmandu District Court had initially remanded them to custody for four days and then for another two days on February 5.
But a bench of Judge Yagya Prasad Acharya had ordered the three to be released two days later by making them sign necessary documents stating that it did not appear necessary to keep them in custody for 25 days.
The CIB had arrested the three following an investigation for more than three months which it said found their involvement in converting the public land into private property.
It was found that CG Chandbagh Residency was built on 10 ropanis of the public land given to Bansbari Leather and Shoe Factory, the CIB said.
Organizing a press conference on February 1, CIB’s Senior Superintendent of Police Dinesh Acharya had said that attempts were made to convert not only 10 ropanis, but the entire 18 ropanis of public land at Bansbari. The CIB had claimed that Champion Footwear Limited was set up at Bansbari to grab the public land there.
