Former Minister Gupta summoned by CIAA over bribery scandal

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has called former Federal Affairs and General Administration Minister Rajkumar Gupta for a voice test in a bribery case involving Rs 7.8 million.

Gupta resigned from his post after an audio recording came out, in which someone was heard asking for a bribe to stop the transfer of the chief of the Pokhara Land Revenue Office and to help someone become the chairperson of the Land Commission in Kaski. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had asked him to step down.

The CIAA began investigating after receiving a formal complaint along with the audio. A CIAA official said Gupta has been asked to come on Tuesday for a voice test to check if the voice in the recording is his.

Even though he resigned, Gupta has denied the allegations. He says the voice is not his. But according to the CIAA’s initial investigation, the voice likely matches his, so they are taking further steps.

Gupta is still active in politics as a central committee member of the CPN-UML and is attending the party's ongoing central committee meeting.