Former Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba Summoned for E-Passport Purchase Probe

Kathmandu. The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority has served a notice to former Foreign Minister and Congress leader Arzu Rana Deuba for an investigation into the e-passport purchase case. Ward Chairman of Budhanilkantha Municipality Ward 2, Rajendra Shrestha, informed Ratopati that the commission served the notice at Deuba's home address. The commission had served the notice at Deuba's residence on Tuesday, asking her to appear for a statement within 35 days. Ward Chairman Shrestha stated that if she does not appear within the given time, legal action will be taken according to the law. Deuba and her spouse had gone to Singapore for treatment four months ago. As they have not returned to Nepal, the commission has served the notice at Rana's home address. Although Rana's direct involvement in the contract case is not apparent, the commission has summoned her for a statement on suspicion of her involvement in her capacity as Foreign Minister. Reviewing the documents at the commission, it is not seen that she made a decision in last year's passport purchase process, but she is being called for a statement solely on the basis of having given an instruction. The purchase process, which would be concluded at the level of the office chief (Director General of the Department of Passports), does not even have the documentary involvement of officials at a higher level than that. A source from the commission informed that she is being called for a statement based on a complaint filed against her. Allegations have been made that the contract was awarded to two German foreign companies based on political influence. It is being discussed that the contract was distributed during the joint government of UML and Congress last year because Manendra Mall is close to UML and Siddhartha Thapa is close to Congress. The commission has summoned the official representative of a German company for a statement today. The commission issued a notice on Thursday calling for the representative of the German company to appear for an investigation into the irregularities in the e-passport purchase process. The commission has issued a public notice calling for two German companies and their representatives to appear for an investigation into the alleged irregularities in the electronic passport purchase process. Last year, in the contract for passport printing, two packages were created, with Muhlbauer ID Service receiving a contract of 1.55 billion and Veridas receiving a contract of 6.55 billion. According to this notice issued under Section 43 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2059, the concerned companies and their authorized representatives or signatories have been instructed to appear in person at the commission's office in Tangal or participate virtually. The commission has already informed the concerned parties via email, and this public notice has been issued as a final warning. The notice states that if they do not appear at the specified time and date, further legal action will be taken according to the prevailing laws of Nepal. The authority is investigating on suspicion of corruption in the contract agreement made in the process of printing secure passports and establishing a system. The two German companies had secured the contract last year by offering the lowest bid in the tender for providing electronic passports. Director General of the Department of Passports, Tirtharaj Aryal, and Director Sunil Kumar KC were arrested on Monday evening in connection with the passport printing contract worth approximately 7.65 billion rupees. Aryal and KC, who were arrested, have been taken into judicial custody by the authority with the permission of the special court and are being interrogated.