Kathmandu, April 22 The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority today detained chairman of Sajha Yatayat Kanak Mani Dixit to probe into the charges of illegally amassing property by abusing his authority. Dixit, 60, is also a noted journalist and a human rights activist. Shortly after detaining Dixit, the CIAA issued a press statement, saying it is investigating into the charges filed against the Sajha Yatayat chairman, including the allegation that he amassed property by abusing the public authority and deposited sums in domestic and foreign banks in his name and in the names of other family members, besides acquiring an apartment in the US. READ ALSO

• ‘An act of vengeance’

Kanak’s wife Shanta owns the apartment bought on 10 November 2010, at a cost of US$435,000. CIAA said Dixit maintains two accounts in CHASE Bank of the USA with $17,208.74 and while wife Shanta operates a separate account in HSBC Bank, UK, and two personal accounts in Apple Bank, USA, with deposit $ 68,926.48 and Pound Sterling 4,126.39, respectively. Pound Sterling 27,638.88 were deposited in the two accounts of HSBC Bank, UK, in the name of Kanak Mani and Shanta Dixit. CIAA claimed that Dixit had not informed Nepal Rastra Bank about the transaction of $50,000 sent from HSBC London to Matrix TV Private Limited in the name of Kanak himself, his father Kamal Mani Dixit and Anju Dixit. CIAA spokesperson claimed Dixit possess 36,000 shares of Standard Chartered UK and jointly he and his wife have 120,000 shares of HSBC UK. The South Asia Trust chaired by Dixit has received Rs 11,12,49,435.96 on different dates from various foreign organisations of Switzerland, the USA and the Netherlands, CIAA said. A police team, deployed by the CIAA, had taken Dixit into custody from his private residence in Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur. CIAA spokesperson Krishna Hari Pushkar said the police had to be mobilised to take Dixit under control after he turned down CIAA’s repeated requests, sent through letters and over phone, to present himself before the anti-graft body. He is also accused of selling the organisational property as his own inherited property and investing the income in other corporations. The police team handed over a warrant to him, which mentioned that the CIAA needed to probe into complaints filed against Dixit. The CIAA had received complaints that Dixit amassed property illegally, according to the warrant. “He was taken to the CIAA office after the arrest as per the legal provision of Section 19(1C) of the CIAA Act, 1991, as he committed activities against the law and obstructed the investigation process,” the CIAA’s press statement adds. Dixit has been kept in custody of Gaushala Police Circle, as CIAA’s detention centre is being renovated, said CIAA chief’s press coordinator Bhawani Subedi. Earlier in December, CIAA had summoned Dixit to its office to inquire about sources of his income but he moved the Supreme Court challenging the commission’s move. The apex court, however, quashed Dixit’s writ petition.