Kathmandu, June 7 :

Members of Parliament (MPs) today accused the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse

of Authority (CIAA) of implicating Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala in amassing property disproportionate to his income without any ground. They also said that the anti-graft body gave Koirala a clean chit without divulging the details.

The MPs were speaking in a programme ‘Ratification of UN Convention Against Corruption’ organised by REMAC, Nepal, in the capital.

“The CIAA should make it clear on what ground it accused our leader and why it is not giving details about its so-called clean chit,” MP Ram Nath Adhikary said. He also accused the anti-graft body of being a weapon of the King during his direct rule and implicating other political leaders in corruption.

Adhikary also demanded the CIAA take action against ministers of the royal cabinet, including Dr Tulsi Giri and Kamal Thapa, who “misused” the state treasury.

MPs Govinda Bahadur Shah and Shiv Basnet also accused the CIAA of implicating leaders in corruption during the King’s rule without strong evidence. They further said the CIAA did not do much to check corruption during the King’s rule.

MP Bharat Kumar Shah said the CIAA should make public the reasons for launching investigations against political leaders. He also demanded an appropriate mechanism to take action against corrupt officials of the judiciary, army and the police.

MP NP Saud called upon the CIAA to prove whether its action against the leaders was just.

MPs Raghuji Pant and Chitra Bahadur KC said political commitment and tough laws are needed to curb corruption.

Chief Commissioner of the CIAA, Surya Nath Upadhayay, however, said the CIAA commissioners are ready to face the State Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives on the issue. “We have prepared a report on the investigations and we are ready to submit it if it wants,” he said.

Upadhayay said the CIAA had investigated high-ranking politicians following recommendation from the high-level judicial probe commission. He added that the CIAA had faced difficulties during the King’s direct rule.