Preliminary Probe Finds No Evidence of Plainclothes Police Aiding Rastriya Swatantra Party Candidate's Campaign in Jhapa

Kathmandu. A preliminary investigation has confirmed that the individuals accompanying Sabina Kafle, the candidate from the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) in Jhapa, during her door-to-door canvassing were not plainclothes police officers.

The Election Commission had ordered an investigation after receiving a complaint alleging that plainclothes police officers were soliciting votes for candidate Balendra Shah during the campaign.

It was reported that during the canvassing by Sabina Kafle, the wife of Balendra Shah, a candidate for the House of Representatives from Jhapa Constituency No. 5, some individuals accompanying her solicited votes for Balen. Women wearing glasses were seen with her, who were discussed on social media as 'plainclothes police'.

Following the complaint, the Election Commission corresponded with the monitoring officer to investigate the matter. A committee formed under the leadership of Tej Prakash Prasai, the Assistant Chief District Officer and Election Monitoring Officer of Jhapa, conducted a preliminary investigation and submitted a report to the Commission.

According to the administration's internal report, those accompanying Sabina were not police officers but rather her relatives, RSP members, and the landlords who rented her property. Tej Prakash Prasai, the Assistant Chief District Officer and Monitoring Officer of Jhapa, stated that there was no evidence to substantiate the claims mentioned in the complaint. Speaking to Ratopati, he said, 'No evidence has been found at this time; further verification will be conducted regarding this matter.'

He informed that the preliminary investigation did not reveal such findings and that the Election Commission will prepare a detailed report.

The District Administration Office, Jhapa, coordinated with the police to investigate this matter. Yagya Prasad Bhattarai, Joint Secretary of the Law and Political Party Management Division of the Election Commission, had informed that the monitoring officer was directed to ascertain the facts after the complaint was filed.