Kathmandu, 23 May: Based on complaints of a “setting” (manipulation) in issuing visit visas, the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) on Wednesday raided the Immigration Office at Tribhuvan International Airport. During the raid, the CIAA took into custody the Chief Immigration Officer (Joint Secretary) Tirtharaj Bhattarai after finding suspicious activity. His mobile phone and computer have been sent to a forensic lab for investigation.
On the same day, the CIAA also detained Bal Krishna Paudel, the owner of ‘The Holidays’ Travel, and Khagendra Subedi along with two others, based on reports and complaints that they were involved in manipulating visit visas. Though all were later released on condition, the devices linked to them have also been sent for forensic analysis.
Interestingly, just a day before the CIAA raid, the Home Ministry had already transferred Bhattarai to the ministry itself through a minister-level decision by Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, replacing him with Bishnu Prasad Koirala, the Chief District Officer of Panchthar. However, since Bhattarai had not yet formally handed over his duties, he was still present at the immigration office when the CIAA raided and took him into custody.
This is not the first personnel change at the airport immigration office. The ministry’s Personnel Administration Division has, in two rounds, transferred a total of nine non-gazetted officers, four computer operators, and one assistant computer operator from the immigration office. Sources close to the ministry claim that Bhattarai was the key figure in the visa manipulation network, aided by these transferred staff who were assigned specific shifts and reportedly carried out the illicit activities on his behalf.
Despite the CIAA raid and ongoing investigation, the Home Ministry has shown little interest in probing the issue. Three days after the incident, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak and Home Secretary Gokarnamani Duwadi were away attending a provincial-level security seminar in Janakpurdham. They are expected to return only tomorrow.
When asked about the matter, Secretary Duwadi told RatoPati that he was currently in Janakpur and recommended contacting the head of the Ministry’s Security and Coordination Division for updates. “I am in Janakpur for the security seminar. Please speak to the head of the Security and Coordination Division regarding immigration,” he said, adding he was not fully updated on the issue.
When RatoPati called the official number of the Ministry’s spokesperson and head of the Security and Coordination Division, Joint Secretary Ram Chandra Tiwari, the call was forwarded to Information Officer and Undersecretary Rabindra Acharya. Acharya, too, said he was in Janakpur for the same event. “I’m also in Janakpur for the security seminar. Please ask someone else at the ministry about the airport incident,” he said.
An official from the ministry also revealed that Tiwari is currently abroad in Turkey for a ministry program and will not return for a few more days.
Immigration Department Launches Internal Investigation
Meanwhile, the Immigration Department—which oversees immigration offices across the country—has initiated an internal inquiry. Director General Govinda Rijal confirmed that the department is informally questioning employees stationed at Tribhuvan International Airport in connection with the CIAA raid and visit visa manipulation allegations. Since the CIAA is conducting the formal investigation, the department is refraining from launching its own official probe.
“The CIAA is the higher authority conducting the formal investigation,” Rijal told RatoPati. “We’re questioning employees working at the airport immigration office to understand the situation better. Some staff have already been transferred by the ministry.”
CIAA Suspects the Network Reaches the Ministry
Sources close to the CIAA suspect that the visit visa manipulation network extends beyond the immigration office and into the Ministry itself. According to an investigating officer, the CIAA expects to uncover the full scope of the network once the forensic analysis of the confiscated devices is complete.
“Based on the nature of the case, we suspect the network reaches the ministry,” the officer told RatoPati. “Once we get the forensic lab reports on the mobile phones and devices, we’ll know the full extent of the connections.”
Preliminary investigations suggest Bhattarai had close ties with high-level officials in the Home Ministry and staff in the Home Minister’s secretariat. As a result, those individuals may also fall under the radar of the ongoing investigation.
