Gokul Baskota resigns as minister for communication and information technology
Baskota’s resignation follows the incriminating leak of an audio reporting where he was allegedly demanding Rs700 million in “commission” from a Swiss company. Gokul Prasad Baskota Post file photo.
Gokul Baskota has resigned as minister for communication and information technology.
Baskota’s resignation follows reports of him being allegedly caught on tape negotiating for a Rs700 million “commission” with the local agent for a Swiss company, according to a leaked audio recording obtained by the news portal, hamrakura.com.
Speaker Agni Sapkota informed the House of Representatives on Thursday of Baskota’s resignation.
“I have received informal information that he [Baskota] has resigned,” Sapkota told the House. “As the issue has entered the House, I would like to request you [the Nepali Congress] to allow the House to begin.”
The primary opposition Nepali Congress, which had issued a statement earlier on Thursday morning demanding Baskota’s resignation to facilitate an investigation into the bribery allegations, obstructed both Houses in the afternoon.
The Congress party also demanded a clarification from Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on the alleged charges against Baskota and an assurance of a fair investigation.
On the recording that was leaked earlier on Thursday, a voice purported to be Baskota’s can be heard negotiating with Bijaya Prakash Sharma Mishra, the local agent for a Swiss company vying for a government contract regarding security printing of passports and other sensitive material.
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