CIAA summons Arzu Rana Deuba in passport procurement corruption probe

Nepal's Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has summoned former foreign minister Arzu Rana Deuba for questioning in connection with a passport procurement contract case. The anti-graft body issued a notice at her residence, directing her to appear within three days to record her statement over allegations of corruption.

Deuba informed the commission via email that she is abroad for medical treatment and cannot appear within the given deadline. She stated her readiness to cooperate with the investigation but cited health reasons for her inability to return to Nepal immediately. Deuba and her husband, former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, are also under investigation for suspected money laundering and are believed to be in Hong Kong.

The CIAA has already arrested Director General Tirtha Raj Aryal and Director Sunil Kumar KC. On Wednesday, Manindra Raj Malla, a Nepali agent for the German company Muehlbauer ID Services GmbH, and Tulsi Prasad Acharya, a former accounts officer at the department, were detained. The investigation is ongoing against more than 35 individuals suspected of involvement in the passport contract irregularities, with Siddhartha Thapa, a Nepali agent for another German company, Veridos, reportedly absconding.

The CIAA preliminarily claims that irregularities involving nearly Rs8 billion may have occurred in the passport printing contract. Suspicions include manipulation of procurement rules, irregular bid evaluations, and potential collusion between officials and contractors. Concerns also surround contract execution, such as delays in biometric data migration, passport quality issues, and the risk of a supply shortage as existing stocks dwindle. The Prime Minister’s Office has also reviewed the process, citing technical flaws and procurement concerns.

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she is fully prepared to cooperate with the investigation, but cannot return to Nepal immediately due to health reasons