KATHMANDU: The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has initiated investigation on golden jalahari at the Pashupatinath temple installed during the KP Oli-led government after receiving the reports of corruption.

According to sources, CIAA has started taking statements from the officials of Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT).

Former members, including incumbent Member Secretary of the Trust Milan Kumar Thapa, have also been dragged into the investigation. The Authority has also taken a statement from the outgoing Member Secretary Pradip Dhakal.

CIAA launched an investigation after 11 kg of gold was not accounted for. CIAA Spokesperson Narayan Prasad Risal refused to comment more on it saying the issue is under investigation.

Last January, the then Prime Minister Oli had instructed to keep a golden jalahari during his visit to Pashupatinath. After that, PADT had taken forward the process of keeping 108 kg of gold. For that, a committee was formed under the coordination of Treasurer Thapa. One hundred and three kilograms of gold was purchased from Nepal Rastra Bank for the jalhari.

President Bidhya Devi Bhandari inaugurated the Golden jalahari in February. A complaint was lodged at CIAA alleging that there was a scam in gold as the documents showed only 96 kg and 822 grams gold. PADT had claimed to have spent Rs 800 million for the jalahari.

PADT members Devi Prasad Baral, Uddhav Baral, Bishwa Kiran Jain, Bhagwati Prasad Dev, Asha Pandey and others had demanded expenditure details on suspicion of irregularities.