Itahari Transport Office Chief Cleared of License Exam Rigging Allegations

Biratnagar. Satish Satyal, the chief of the Transport Management Office in Itahari, has been cleared of allegations involving financial irregularities and the rigging of driving license examinations to pass failed candidates.

Satyal had faced complaints regarding financial transactions and the manipulation of exam results. In response, the Koshi Province Ministry of Internal Affairs and Law formed a five-member committee, led by Transport Management Division Chief Urmila Devi Niraula, to investigate the claims.

Committee coordinator Niraula stated that the investigation found no evidence linking the office chief to the alleged misconduct. "We have submitted the report to the ministry secretary and the minister," she said. "The alleged rigging was not found during our inquiry."

Following the initial complaints, Satyal was recalled to the ministry to facilitate the investigation. He had been accused of orchestrating a system to pass candidates who failed mandatory health screenings, particularly those who did not meet vision or other medical standards, through collusion between staff and middlemen under the guise of a 're-check'.

The five-member committee, which included legal advisors, IT experts, and administrative staff, was tasked with submitting its findings within 15 days. During Satyal's absence, Senior Branch Officer Subash Karki served as the acting chief.

Satyal expressed relief at being cleared. "I never had any malicious intent. The complaints were filed by groups seeking to defame me—those accustomed to extorting money by failing candidates in medical exams and those wanting to control the medical process for their own benefit," he said. "As a result, I have been cleared of these charges today."

He further attributed the controversy to his push for technological modernization. "This struggle is about new technology. I implemented modern systems that no other transport office in Koshi Province has adopted, which disrupted those accustomed to the old ways of extorting money. Consequently, I suffered a lot," he added.

However, he emphasized that he remains undeterred and reiterated his refusal to comply with the demands of middlemen and vested interest groups.