CIAA Demands Immediate Investigation into Officials with Foreign Citizenship, Delays at Prime Minister's Office

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has instructed the government to swiftly investigate MPs, civil servants, and public officials suspected of holding foreign citizenship and residence permits. Despite this, the directive issued on April 22 has languished at the Prime Minister's Office.

The letter, forwarded the same day by Chief Secretary Baikuntha Aaryal to Joint Secretary Narayan Bhatta, went missing and was only found after persistent follow-ups by the CIAA. Chief Secretary Aaryal denied responsibility for the delay, attributing it to administrative processing.

The CIAA’s directive followed complaints about officials holding foreign citizenship. It urged the government to enforce standards against such appointments, as outlined in Article 291 of Nepal's Constitution. Currently, investigations are underway into two high-ranking individuals suspected of holding foreign citizenship and residence permits.