Joint Secretary Bhattarai released on condition to appear on Thursday

Setopati

Kathmandu, May 21

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has released Joint Secretary Tirtha Raj Bhattarai, former chief immigration officer of the Immigration Office, Tribhuvan International Airport, on the condition that he appear before them on Thursday.

A source said that the CIAA confiscated Bhattarai’s mobile phone and released him on Wednesday night, instructing him to report on Thursday.

A team from the CIAA had taken Bhattarai into custody on Wednesday afternoon.

The Ministry of Home Affairs had transferred Bhattarai from the airport to the ministry on Tuesday. Bishnu Prasad Koirala, who was the chief district officer of Panchthar, has been transferred to the Immigration Office to replace Bhattarai.

The CIAA team also conducted a raid at the Immigration Office on Wednesday afternoon.