KATHMANDU, July 16: The CPN-UML lawmaker Surya Thapa has said that those heard in the controversial audio recording must be taken into custody immediately and investigated regardless of their position and political affiliation.
Taking to Facebook on Wednesday, a day after Rajkumar Gupta resigned from his post as Minister for Federal Affairs and General Administration (MoLCPA) following the release of the audio.
The audio clip mentions Gupta along with a former minister, a middleman, and a sitting minister.
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"Rajkumar Gupta’s resignation as Minister for Federal Affairs and General Administration indicates that public pressure for a serious investigation has been acknowledged, given the gravity of the issue. Who are the people involved in the voices heard in the controversial audio clip? Are those voices real or fake? The state’s investigative institutions must start their work immediately," Thapa wrote on social media.
He further said, "Regardless of who is speaking in the public audio, they must be immediately taken into custody and investigated to establish the clear truth. No one found guilty should be spared. Brokers, middlemen, racketeers, and fraudsters—none should remain outside the scope of investigation."
He further warned that the resignation of just one minister should not be used to hush up the entire incident. "This is not about raising the issue, exchanging accusations, and ending it with one minister’s resignation," he wrote. "This is about ensuring good governance."
Former Minister Gupta landed in controversy after the leak of audiotape in which he allegedly made a deal to transfer employees and land revenue officers under the MoLCPA. Gupta is accused of accepting Rs 5.3 million to halt the transfer of Ramchandra Adhikari, the then chief of the Land Revenue Office in Kaski, and an additional Rs 2.5 million for the appointment of a district chairperson in the Land Commission—totaling approximately Rs 7.8 million.
A complaint was filed with the CIAA, accompanied by photos of two bags containing the bribe money, along with serial numbers and bundles of currency notes. Following the registration of the complaint, the audio recording of the bribery deal involving Minister Gupta was made public.
Following the backlash, Gupta on Tuesday submitted his resignation to PM KP Sharma Oli. Earlier on Monday, PM Oli had directed him to resign from his post, summoning him to Baluwatar.
