KATHMANDU: A probe commission led by former justice Gauri Bahadur Karki, formed to investigate vandalism and violence that occurred on September 8 and 9 in the name of the Gen-Z movement, has taken a statement from then prime minister KP Sharma Oli.
The commission team went to Oli’s residence in Gundu, Bhaktapur, and delivered a letter asking him to submit his statement within seven days.
However, Oli immediately provided a written statement at his residence itself, responding to around 60 questions, according to a member of his secretariat.
Oli gave his “written submission” to the team that had gone to deliver the notice, the secretariat source said. Commission member and former DIG Bigyan Raj Sharma confirmed that the notice had been delivered at Gundu on Sunday.
The commission has already recorded statements from almost all individuals connected to the incidents of September 8 and 9. Former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak was also summoned to the commission office to give his statement.
Oli, however, had refused to appear at the commission’s office in Singha Durbar to record his statement.
Following Oli’s insistence, the commission team went to Gundu to take his statement. Although around 60 questions were asked, commission officials and staff have not disclosed the contents of Oli’s written submission.
Oli had maintained that he would not go to the commission’s office to give his statement and had raised serious questions about the competence and impartiality of commission chair Karki.
He had argued that Karki had already formed opinions about political leaders and officials of the then government even before becoming the commission chair, and therefore was not in a position to take his statement.
Oli had earlier said that if the commission team came to his residence, he would receive them politely and offer tea. He has also been describing the Sushila Karki-led government as illegitimate and demanding that the commission itself be scrapped.
Initially, the commission had prepared to arrest Oli to record his statement if he continued to refuse. However, after Oli emerged even stronger following the UML’s 11th general convention, the commission reportedly backed off.
As Oli continued to issue aggressive statements, the commission appeared increasingly defensive. Eventually, in line with Oli’s wishes and stance, the commission team went to Gundoo and returned after taking his written statement.
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