Sudhan Gurung Reappointed Home Minister

Kathmandu. Home Minister Sudhan Gurung has been reappointed. His oath of office and secrecy is scheduled for 3 PM today at the President's Office, Shital Niwas, the Prime Minister's and Council of Ministers' Office informed. Gurung had come under controversy after the public disclosure of his business partnership with businessman Deepak Bhatta. Pressure mounted on Gurung after questions arose about his purchase of shares in Liberty Micro Insurance and Star Micro Insurance, whose owner Bhatta was in custody of the Department of Money Laundering Investigation. Gurung had claimed that he bought shares worth approximately 5 million rupees by taking a loan, after questions were raised about the source of the funds. Following widespread criticism, he resigned from the post of Home Minister on April 9. He had served as Home Minister for only 26 days. The Council of Ministers, in its meeting on April 28, formed a three-member committee headed by former High Court Justice Achyut Prasad Bhandari to investigate this matter. The committee included Auditor General Shobhakant Poudel and Joint Attorney General Achyutmani Neupane as members. The committee was tasked with studying and investigating the facts of the issues raised publicly related to Gurung and submitting a report within 15 days. Later, the deadline was extended by five more days due to insufficient time. The investigation committee, after its study, gave a clean chit to Gurung. The committee concluded that Gurung's allegations could not be substantiated after summoning and studying all his shares and assets. The 45-page report submitted by the committee has declared all of Gurung's movable and immovable assets as 'legitimate'. The report interpreted the errors found in the asset details not as the individual's but as a 'weak system of the state'.

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