Kathmandu, January 31

The Central Investigation Bureau of Nepal Police has submitted its report on Lalita Niwas land grab case to the Ministry of Home Affairs through Inspector General of Police Sarbendra Khanal.

Superintendent of Police Bel Bahadur Pandey, CIB spokesperson, said the report was submitted on Wednesday following the completion of an investigation into the notorious scam. The government had mandated the CIB to conduct the investigation and submit report with recommendation for action against the guilty as per the decision of the Council of Ministers on 11 February 2019.

Various retired government officials were found to have been collided with ‘land mafias’ to grab, sell and use 114 ropani public land acquired and possessed by the government in Baluwatar area during 1993-2013. The government had acquired the land by compensating the owners. A source said the report had recommended the MoHA to initiate legal action against over 30 persons under corruption, fraud and forgery charges.

They include former chief commissioner of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority Deep Bahadur Basnyat, former secretaries Chhabiraj Panta and Dineshhari Adhikari, three former joint secretaries, chiefs of land revenue offices and businessmen.

The government launched the investigation after a probe committee led by Sharada Prasad Trital found that ‘land mafias’, in collusion with government officials, had transferred the ownership of 114 ropani government land to individuals.