KATHMANDU: Three government investigative departments, previously moved under the Prime Minister’s Office by former PM KP Sharma Oli in 2074 BS, have been returned to their respective ministries.
In a cabinet meeting on Thursday, the interim government decided to place two departments under the Ministry of Finance and one under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Minister for Communication and Information Technology Jagdish Kharel stated at a press briefing that the Department of Money Laundering Investigation and Department of Revenue Investigation have been returned to the Finance Ministry. Meanwhile, the National Investigation Department, Nepal’s only espionage agency, has been moved back under the Home Ministry.
When these departments were under the Prime Minister’s Office, concerns arose over potential political misuse and reduced effectiveness. The recent Gen-Z protests highlighted the limitations of keeping these investigative agencies under direct PM oversight.
Kharel noted that moving the Revenue Investigation Department under the PM’s Office had disrupted administration and reduced accountability, while returning them to their original ministries is expected to restore efficiency and independence.
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