Corruption at PADT would not have occurred had the officials followed due process of law
The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) on Sunday filed a corruption case against three former officials of the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) at the Special Court accusing them of embezzling around 1.5 kg gold worth Rs 11.7 million. Then member secretary Pradip Dhakal, treasurer Milan Kumar Thapa and store-keeper Arun Kumar Shrestha were charge-sheeted for the embezzlement of the said amount of gold while installing gold jalahari in the Shiva Linga of the Pashupatinath Temple some three years ago. The gold jalahari, which cost around Rs 1 billion, was installed in the Shiva Linga at the direction of then prime minister KP Oli, and then president Bidhya Devi Bhandari had inaugurated the jalahari within one month from the date of purchasing the gold from Nepal Rastra Bank. The then government had provided Rs 30 million to the DADT while the PADT had spent Rs 500 million to procure 103,773.1 grams gold from the central bank. But the PADT used 96.822 kg gold in the jalahari. The CIAA, during its investigation, found that a total of 1.49.718 grams gold was unaccounted for. The accused had said that the remaining amount of gold or 1.5 kg gold was used for making jalahari ring.
As per the CIAA, a public deed made on 23 February 2021 stated that pieces of 10,976 grams gold remained after the jalahari was made. But the deed did not clearly mention which of the remaining pieces of gold weighed how much. The CIAA found 27 pieces but there was no mention of the weight of those pieces in the document. While filing the corruption case against the three accused, the CIAA said if the remaining gold (1 kg 491 grams and 718 milligrams) was used to make the ring of the Kalahari, as claimed by the defendants, then the document should have proved the same. But there was no documentary evidence to prove the defendants' claim. The anti-graft body said that Dhakal and Thapa did not make any public deed when they used gold for the jalahari ring.
If convicted, the defendants will face a jail term and will also have to pay a fine equal to the amount in question Rs 11.7 million. Store-keeper Shrestha "acted recklessly" when it came to keeping the public property safely, and colluded with Dhakal and Thapa to embezzle the gold.
The CIAA started its investigation on the jalahari scandal for the last two years in response to a complaint lodged at its office. Earlier, when a team of experts from the CIAA inspected the jalahari and weighed the amount of gold installed in it some three months ago, it found no embezzlement in the process.
Now, it found that there had been irregularities while making jalahari and ring. Such kind of irregularities would not have occurred in the sacred place had the authorities concerned followed the due process of law and rules as prescribed by PADT. They should have at least respected the sanctity of the Hindu shrine while discharging their official duties. What can we expect from other government agencies when the officials at the DADT are found to be involved in corruption, that too, in the premises of the highly revered temple worshipped by over one billion of Hindus from all over the world? The Special Court will deliver its verdict on whether or not there was embezzlement in the entire process.
Rights of elderly
There are close to 3 million senior citizens in Nepal, and this figure will only grow with people now living much longer than before. With the changing times, their problems have multiplied and pose a challenge to the family members, society and the state. With the young population leaving Nepal for work or study abroad and deciding not to return to their homeland, old people are having to fend for themselves at a time when they need all the support of family members.
On the occasion of International Day for Older People on Sunday, the National Human Rights Commission called on the government of all levels as well as all the stakeholders to ensure the services, including health, that they are entitled to. Of course, as citizens of this country, the government is responsible for their well-being. But the state and non-governmental organisations can only help with pensions, health care and old age homes. Without care and support of the family, their life is bound to be miserable. Thus, there is a need to create a society where the children take care of their parents in old age as in the past. For this, our whole education system and upbringing of our children will need to change.
A version of this article appears in the print on October 3, 2023, of The Himalayan Times
