Lamjung Chief District Officer Suspended Amid Corruption Charges; New Official Appointed

Kathmandu. Following the suspension of Lamjung's Chief District Officer (CDO) Umesh Dhungana, Joint Secretary Krishna Khanal has been assigned the responsibility. Ministry of Home Affairs spokesperson Joint Secretary Anand Kafle informed Ratopati that Khanal has been given the responsibility of CDO for Lamjung.

Dhungana was charged in a corruption case related to vehicle registration that occurred while he was serving as Secretary (Joint Secretary) in the Ministry of Industry, Tourism, and Transport, Lumbini Province. The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) filed a case against Dhungana and 31 others on Falgun 13.

According to the CIAA, the investigation was initiated following a complaint that three stolen Indian vehicles were registered through financial transactions at the Transport Management Office in Nepalgunj, Banke.

Vehicle registration certificates (blue books) were issued by preparing fake invoices, false receipts, and incorrect document details related to the vehicles with registration numbers Bagmati Province 01-26 Cha-7944 and Ba 16 Cha 9183.

The CIAA stated that there was malicious intent to legalize the vehicles by evading customs duties by entering them into government records without the knowledge of the vehicle owners.