249 people to be investigated for land embezzlement in Tikapur

Dhangadhi: A Central Bureau of Investigation (CIB) team has reached Tikapur to investigate land embezzlement issue.

The investigation team under the leadership of DSP has been deployed in the field since Monday to investigate the land embezzlement. The CIB is going to conduct a detailed study of the involvement of the chairman of the Urban Development Committee in the embezzlement of public land in Tikapur.

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority has filed a corruption case against 249 people involved in embezzlement of public land of Tikapur City Development Committee in a special court. The police have started an investigation regarding the corruption case filed by the authority.

CIB director AIG Shyamalal Gyawali said that a team has been deployed in the field to investigate various aspects of Tikapur land embezzlement. On January 25th, the Authority filed a corruption case in a special court against 249 people, including the then chairman and office bearers, employees and land owners of Tikapur City Development Committee.

It is mentioned in the indictment of the corruption case filed by the authority that the land rights of the committee were transferred in the name of individuals by setting up fake documents in the name of Tikapur Municipality-1 Tikapur City Development Committee.

In the name of Tikapur Development Committee, the land was embezzled by making use of fake certificates of old dates, payment receipts etc. According to CIB, more than 300 people could be investigated. The authority has filed a case against the former chairpersons of the city development committee, Netra Prasad Joshi, Lalit Tamrakar and Dheeraj Regmi.

Jai Bahadur Bista, the then shipping officer of Land Revenue Office Tikapur, Man Bahadur Chand and Ganesh Bahadur Bam, the then measuring officers of Survey Office Tikapur, have also been named as defendants. Netra Prasad Joshi: Former Chairman of Tikapur Development Committee, Joshi.

Initially, Joshi was close to the Nepali Congress. After Bijay Gachchdar left the Congress Party and formed Madheshi Janaadhikar Forum (Democratic), he then joined the Forum Democratic along with Gachchdar. By increasing his relationship with Gachchdar, he became the chairman of Tikapur City Development Committee.

He then became close to Dr. Baburam Bhattarai in the Maoists. Currently, he is a central member of the Nagarik Unmukti Party. Lalit Tamrakar: Tamrakar is the former chairman of Tikapur City Development Committee. Tamrakar was initially affiliated with the Maoist party. Due to his close relationship with former Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, he became the chairman of Tikapur Development Committee.

Lately, Tamrakar is a central member of Nagarik Unmukti Party. Ganga Bahadur Kunwar: Kunwar is the former chairman of Tikapur Nagar Development Committee. He is also a former Member of Parliament elected from Kailali on behalf of the Nepali Congress. When the Congress was in power, he became the Chairman of the Development Committee twice.

Shyam Khatri: Khatri is a local leader of UML. Khatri worked as UML's representative in the committee. Khatri was a candidate for the post of Mayor of Tikapur municipality from UML in the last election, but was defeated. Khadak Bahadur Shah: The local Maoist leader Khadak Bahadur Shah is the Deputy Mayor of Tikapur Municipality. He represented the Maoist party in the committee.