Parties agree to form parliamentary probe committee to investigate cooperative fraud case

Kathmandu / May 18: Top leaders of three major political parties—Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML, CPN (Maoist Center) and Rastriya Swatantra Party—have agreed to form a parliamentary probe committee to investigate the cooperative fraud case.

An agreement to this effect was reached at a meeting attended by Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba, CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli, and Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Baluwatar on Saturday evening.

However, it is not clear whether the agreement to form the probe committee specifically targets Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Lamichhane. The main opposition party, NC, had been demanding the formation of a parliamentary inquiry committee that brings Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Lamichhane under its purview in the cooperative fraud case.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, NC Chief Whip Ramesh Lekhak said that they had reached an agreement to form a parliamentary probe committee during the meeting. He also mentioned that Law Minister Padam Giri would facilitate the government in forming the committee.

“Today we had a meeting of the top leaders of the major parties in Parliament. The Prime Minister, Nepali Congress President, CPN-UML Chairman, Deputy Prime Minister, and other leaders were present. There was a discussion about the agenda of tomorrow’s Parliament meeting,” he told media persons. “Everyone agreed that a committee should be formed. There has also been a discussion on what the mandate of the committee will be. There is a consensus among all parties that the committee should be formed, and this achievement should be understood positively.”

It is said that representatives of all major parties will sit together on Sunday to finalize the ToR of the probe committee. With the formation of the committee, Sunday’s Parliament session is expected to proceed smoothly.