Karki will face impeachment, won't resign now: Aide
KATHMANDU: The suspended chief of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority, Lok Man Singh Karki, would not resign at the current state of affairs, according to one of his aides.
Sharad Adhikari, who Karki had hired as a media expert, told BBC Nepali Service Karki would not give in and was currently making legal consultations and mulling how to face the impeachment motion.
Adhikari went on to claim that the impeachment motion was brought in as a retribution in the wake of the CIAA's annoucement for investigation into the corruption in the Maoist cantonments. He argued that the impeachment motion came in response to the waves that the CIAA's announcement created.
With signature of as many as 157 lawmakers -- 107 of the main opposition CPN-UML and 50 of the Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal's CPN Maoist Centre -- the two communist parties registered the impeachment motion against Karki at the Parliament Secretariat on October 19.
When BBC Nepali Service's Editor Rabindra Mishra asked Adhikari whether Karki would tender resignation or face the impeachment motion, Adhikari replied that time to make any such decision had not come yet "because the process has just begun".
"Discussion on the impeachment motion filed at the Parliament has started. It will go to the Impeachment [Recommendation] Committee. And in the Committee, he [Karki] certainly will get an opportunity to defend the charges against him or clarify the matter. He certainly will utilise the opportunity. He is in consultation for that."
"Does that mean he is in a mood to face the impeachment motion rather than tendering resignation?" Mishra asked.
"In my opinion, situation created so far doesn't call for his resignation," Adhikari said, "Because many parties are holding discussion. Many processes are ahead, and parties haven't reached to a conclusion yet."
Two thirds majority is required for the endorsement of the impeachment motion. But the largest party Nepali Congress is yet to make a decision on Karki's fate.
Karki is currently limited to his quarters in Tangal in the CIAA premises after the commencement of impeachment proceedings on October 19. CIAA Commissioner Deep Basnyat has taken up the reins of the anti-graft constitutional body as the acting chief after as Karki is not allowed to discharge duties of his office for the time being as per the Article 101 (6) of Nepal's Constitution.
Karki, however, is not in a state of hopelessness or defeat, Adhikari said, "I think he has considered this as an usual situation that occurs in life while working and bearing responsibilities."
Karki's aides, daughter lose job
Meanwhile, the CIAA has fired 11 aides, including Adhikari, hired by Karki as experts.
Those who lost their job after Karki was suspended are chief expert Komal Prasad Ghimire, Bhanubhakta Pokhrel, Balchandra Sharma, Karunakar Malla, Gobardhan Shrestha, Neelmani Baral, Ramhari Aryal, Madhav Khati, Bharat Raj Sharma and Sharad Adhikari.
Likewise, Karki's daughter Dr Adhya Shree Karki has also been relieved from her honorary position of medical expert, the RSS reported.
The Parliament has begun deliberations on the impeachment motion against Karki today.
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