The CIAA should uncover the truth about the said scam in the jalahari installation case
KATHMANDU, JUNE 26
Two years after a public complaint was lodged at the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) that less amount of gold had been used than was decided earlier while making a jalahari (special ornament) for the Pashupatinath Temple, the anti-corruption watchdog entered the sacred temple on Sunday to ascertain the truth. A team of the CIAA entered the temple premises amidst the presence of security personnel, officials from the Gold and Silver Dealers' Association and the Department of Mines and Geology. As per the decision of the KP Oli-led government in mid-July 2021, 108 kilograms of gold was to be used to make the jalahari to be placed around the sacred Shiva Linga of the temple.
The government had provided Rs 300 million from the national coffer, and the rest had been borne by the Pashupatinath Area Development Trust (PADT). The PADT had bought 103 kilos of gold from the Nepal Rastra Bank for Rs 80 crore. Instead of using all the gold purchased from the NRB, then treasurer of the PADT Milan Kumar Thapa and others, who were involved in the purchase deal, decided to use 96 kilos of gold to make the jalahari, and the rest was used to make a gold ring, which, Thapa claimed, was placed around the sacred Linga.
Media reports suggested that around 10.976 kilos of gold were embezzled by the officials involved in the jalahari installation process. Around Rs 5.5 million was paid to a Patanbased goldsmith without following the due bidding process. However, while furnishing his clarification at the parliamentary National Concern and Coordination Committee a few weeks ago, then PADT treasurer Thapa had claimed that no such embezzlement had taken place while installing the jalahari in the temple. Interesting to note is that the jalahari installation was inaugurated by then president Bidhya Devi Bhandari on February 24, 2022 even as a case to this effect had been under consideration at the Supreme Court. Thapa had said that a total of 96 kilos and 822 grams of gold were used to make the jalahari and the remaining (10 kilos and 976 grams of gold) was used to make a ring. But this has not been mentioned while preparing an act of deed. Some necessary chemicals and alloy were used to connect the joints of the jalahari and the ring.
The CIAA will analyse all the details involving the alleged allegation of irregularities as it has taken the jalahari and the ring under its control for a thorough investigation. Should the persons involved in the entire process be found guilty of wrongdoing they must face legal action. It is equally shameful to see that Thapa, who was accused of indulging in irregularities in the jalahari installation case, was promoted to the post of PADT member-secretary from treasurer by KP Oli's successor Sher Bahadur Deuba. The Nepali Army, which was assigned to provide security from the date of purchasing the said amount of gold to its installation at the temple, has said it did not have any role in the course of melting the gold and making the jalahari out of it. It is a matter of serious concern that persons assigned to promote the religious sanctity of the temple and its premises should be accused of committing irregularities in front of Lord Shiva, who should 'punish' them for their bad karma if it turns out that way.