BIRATNAGAR: Koshi Province Minister for Industry, Agriculture, and Cooperatives, Khagen Singh Hangam, has allegedly seized the car key of his ministry’s secretary after the latter refused to appoint people recommended by him.
According to officials, Minister Hangam took away the key of the government vehicle used by Secretary Sharan Kumar Pandey on Monday within the premises of the Chief Minister’s Office. The minister had been pressuring Pandey to remove 10 contract drivers and assistants and replace them with individuals of his choice.
Pandey confirmed to News Hub that his vehicle key was forcibly taken. “I went to the Chief Minister’s Office, and the key was taken from there,” he said. “I follow what the law allows. I cannot act beyond the law, no matter who asks.”
He also clarified that he had no personal dispute with the minister and was committed to serving farmers with or without the vehicle.
Meanwhile, Koshi Province Chief Secretary Chandrakala Poudel stated that government-provided facilities cannot be withdrawn based on individual instructions. “The law governs such matters, not personal decisions,” she said.
Minister Hangam could not be reached for comment despite repeated attempts.
Sources say tensions between the minister and secretary are longstanding, with previous disputes over staff transfers and allowances. Hangam, a Nepali Congress leader elected from Taplejung in 2022, has faced multiple controversies in the past, including allegations of misconduct and threats against officials.
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