• Thursday, 17 July 2025

Insurance Authority Chairman Ojha suspended

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By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, July 17: Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, has asserted that anyone found guilty of corruption, regardless of their position, will face action.

While making public the recent Cabinet decisions on Wednesday at Singha Durbar, Minister Gurung, who is also government spokesperson, stated that the government maintains a zero-tolerance stance on corruption.

“Whether it’s a minister or any other official, if they are proven corrupt, they will be held accountable,” he claimed. 

Referring to the recent resignation of the Minister for Federal Affairs and General Administration following ethical concerns, Gurung noted that the government will move forward based on facts and truth, not assumptions. 

He reassured that the government will not turn a blind eye to corruption-related matters.

In another major update, Spokesperson Gurung informed that the government has initiated an investigation into Nepali citizens who travelled to Spain on visit visas but stayed back there.

Sharing the Cabinet decisions made on July 14, Minister Gurung announced that the government has approved an additional concessional loan equivalent to 57 billion Japanese Yen from the Government of Japan for the Nagdhunga Tunnel Construction Project.

The Cabinet also appointed Dr. Khag Raj Sharma as the Chairperson of the National Cooperative Regulatory Authority, a post that had remained vacant. 

Additionally, the tenure of the working procedure of the Phapla International Cricket Ground and Sports Village Infrastructure Development Committee has been extended by four months from July 13, 2025.

Furthermore, the Cabinet has made key decisions concerning the Nepali Army, promoting one Lieutenant Colonel to the rank of Colonel, one Colonel to the rank of Brigadier General, and transferring 19 Second Lieutenant to different places.

Ojha suspended as Chairman of NIA 

Meanwhile, the Cabinet meeting held on July 14 decided to suspend Sharad Ojha, Chairman of the Nepal Insurance Authority, and initiate an investigation against him through the formation of a judicial committee.

Ojha has been accused of submitting fake documents of his experience certificates to secure his appointment as Chairman of the Authority. Following the Cabinet decision, he now stands officially suspended from the position.

The government has formed a three-member judicial committee led by former Supreme Court Justice Krishna Giri to investigate the matter. The other members of the committee are Kapildev Oli and Jivan Prakash Sitaula.

Ojha, a 33-year-old resident of Kanchanpur, was appointed as Chairman by the Cabinet on February 24. However, allegations had surfaced shortly after his appointment claiming he lacked the qualifications required for the post and had submitted forged documents during the selection process.

In the absence of the NIA chairperson, the government has given the responsibility to Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Finance Sewantak Pokhrel as chairperson of the Insurance Authority until further decision.

The Cabinet meeting has also approved the visit of Minister Gurung to Shanghai of China to take part in the World Artificial Intelligence Conference-2025 to be held from July 26 to 28 and visit of Minister for Health and Population Pradeep Paudel to Beijing of China to take part in the Global Health Forum conference from July 24 to 25.

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