Superintendent of Police (SP) Ramesh Kharel, chief of Metropolitan Police Range Kathmandu (MPRK), said that following confirmation by the DOTM, he would now proceed to arrest Bishwakarma and hand him over to the Department of Revenue Investigation (DRI) for further investigation. [break]
DRI, which a quasi-judicial entity, is entrusted with the responsibility to investigate into such vehicles.
“He has failed to report back within the official time as was agreed on Thursday,” Kharel added. According to Kharel, the DOTM wrote back to MPRK that the vehicle was registered for an Indian-made TATA Safari Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) under the ownership of Bishwakarma himself.
Police, however, had seized a Mitsubishi Pajero SUV with the same number from Chabahil on Thursday, following a tip-off from a special branch of police.
Meanwhile, Bishwakarma claimed he has not violated any law. He said that the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction had written to the DOTM on July 1, 2010 to amend details regarding the vehicle.
Bishwakarma, talking to Republica, cited the ministry´s letter signed by under-secretary Top Narayan Sharma that asked the DOTM to register the vehicle with the amended details. “The details should been recorded as follows: Chassis number MA703V46W8E003167, engine number HK 2370, grey white color and seven seat capacity,” he said.
Bishwakarma said that the ministry had written to the DOTM acting on a request letter dated June 5, 2010 from the UCPN (Maoist) to amend the vehicle´s details. He added that the vehicle was registered at the DOTM as per the government´s decision to legalize the vehicles used by 37 central members of the UCPN (Maoist) following the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
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