KATHMANDU: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has begun investigation into alleged favouritism by Kathmandu Chief District Officer (CDO) Bhola Prasad Siwakoti to the business houses which were responsible for creating artificial food crisis in the Kathmandu Valley before the Dashain.

The anti-graft constitutional body has seized related documents from the Kathmandu District Administration Office (DAO).

“Our concern is why the CDO failed to take any action against the hoarders,” Lalit Bahadur Limbu, acting chief commissioner of the CIAA told this daily today. “We’ve already begun investigation into it. We’ll record his (Siwakoti’s) statement within a few days.” Immediately after the budget speech in mid-July, the hoarders created the “crisis” of daal and rice due to which the prices of the foodstuffs increased almost double. The DAO and the Department of Revenue had raided the business houses of the major importers and suppliers of the foodstuffs but later the CDO did not take any action against them.

“Since it was a serious issue related to public, we’ve taken the explanation from the DAO but the explanation of the CDO was not satisfactory,” Limbu added. After receiving complaints, the CIAA had sought explanation from the DAO.

The authorities had raided the business houses — Banshal Traders, Shyam Baba Enterprises and Dugad Store — and found the hoarding of the foodstuffs was creating the crisis of the foodstuffs in the capital market.

While submitting explanation to the CIAA, the CDO had shifted the responsibilities to the Department of Revenue. “Irregularities might be the secondary thing but the people should be notified what action was taken against the hoarders,” Limbu added.