At a press meet in the Capital today, Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities, Nepal Sherpa Association, Nepal Sherpa Women's Association and www.sherpaworld.com made public the video tape showing Purna Bahadur Basnet, a non-gazetted officer at the immigration office, haggling with Ang Kaji Sherpa (25) of Khumjung, Solukhumbu, over kickback before settling for Rs 100,000 to ensure her a `hassles-free travel' to the US.

Basnet then made the woman cough up Rs 10,000 and urged her to visit the Kathmandu District Administration Office to obtain a recommendation ascertain ing her identity as a Nepal citizen. Even after th woman procured the recommendation letter, Basnet did not release her docu ments.

 

“On October 12, Basnet called Dechen at the Department of Immigration in (DoI) Kalikasthan and started bargaining for release of all her papers. With no option left, the woman handed over Rs 100,000 at the Kalikasthan Chowk,“ Ang Kaji said. All along, the official was not aware that Dechen's kin was taking a video grab of the deal from a mobile phone. The tape shows Basnet receiving one lakh rupees in Rs 500 denominations and counting them under a banyan tree at the chowk. He had turned up at the spot in a car numbered Ba 7 Cha 9051 at around 11 am. Freeing herself from the trappings of Basnet, Dechen (citizenship certificate no.29765 and passport no. 3532502) managed to fly to the US on October 12.

 

In a live video conference, the woman, who is in New York, told THT she had decided to seek her kin's help to covertly film the scene and help the government bring the corrupt to book.

 

THT has the video tape.

 

Dechen has submitted a memorandum dated October 20, 2011 to Prime Minister through the Permanent Mission of Nepal to the UN in New York, seeking action against Basnet. DoI has suspended Basnet and formed a probe panel with senior DoI officer Shiva Prasad Lamsal as its coordinator and legal officer Yuvaraj Mathat as a member.