KATHMANDU: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has formed a three-member committee to investigate allegation of corruption against former CIAA Commissioner Raj Narayan Pathak.

CIAA Spokesperson Rameshwar Dangal told THT Online that the probe committee led-by CIAA Under Secretary would investigate the corruption within the anti-graft body before preparing a report.

Pathak was accused of receiving a bribe of Rs 7.8 million for settling corruption cases that were being investigated by the CIAA. He resigned from his post on February 15 after ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) threatened to impeach him if he did not resign from his post.

The allegation of corruption and the prompt resignation aroused controversies as constitutional experts held opposing views. Some opined that the anti-graft body could investigate Pathak in corruption after passing impeachment motion.

On the contrary, others held view that constitution and the law did not allow CIAA to initiate investigation against constitutional post holder without the Parliament passing an impeachment motion against the constitutional post holder.

They have argued that the President should not have immediately accepted Pathak’s resignation and lawmakers should have initiated impeachment proceedings against Pathak. They have further argued, if constitutional post holders were investigated for corruption easily, they could fall victims of revenge attacks and would not work impartially while serving a constitutional body.

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