The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority today arrested Nepal Oil Corporation Trade Union Chairman Devi Prasad Neupane on the charge of obstructing the investigation it had launched against his bosses.

“He was obstructing our investigation against top NOC officials, who were arrested on the allegation of distributing bonus illegally,” CIAA Chief Lokman Singh Karki’s press coordinator Bhawani Subedi told THT.

According to him, Neupane challenged the CIAA investigation against the top officials by issuing a press release and giving interviews to television channels, criticising the anti-graft body’s investigation.

Subedi added that a day after the arrest of the top NOC officials, Neupane went to the CIAA, stating that he was responsible for the distribution of the bonus as per the decision of the trade union. “He was asked to present himself today and was taken into custody,” he added. Though the CIAA had also summoned former NOC Chief Digambar Jha but he played truant.

On Tuesday, the anti-graft body had arrested Acting Executive Director Suresh Kumar Agrawal, Director of Financial Department Nagendra Sah and Managers Netra Prasad Kafle and Kamal Prasad Sharma, who had recorded statements, claiming that they distributed bonuses under the pressure of the trade union.

In fact, Neupane is a senior assistant (non-gazetted, first-class) and has been holding the post of chairman of the trade union for 15 years and attended meetings of the board of directors as an invitee member without deciding authority.

“As he has claimed that he did everything and wants to take the responsibility, he was taken into custody,” Subedi said. “He claimed that he attended BoD meetings and was involved in approving decisions.”

Another source added that CIAA was planning to arrest departmental heads of the NOC, as they participated in the decision-making process to distribute bonuses.

Neupane’s wife, Advocate Meera Dhungana, however, said her husband did not challenge the investigation but was trying to communicate that the decision was lawful, as the bonus pertained to the year when the NOC had generated profits.

Published on: 28 September 2013 | The Himalayan Times