The government has said that Inspector General of Police Dan Bahadur Karki has not been subjected to any disciplinary action, only moved to a different role.

An unscheduled Cabinet meeting on Wednesday decided to remove Karki from the post and assign Additional Inspector General Manoj KC the responsibility. Karki, meanwhile, has been given a newly created position of special security adviser to the Prime Minister.

Briefing the media after the meeting, Education and Sports Minister and government spokesperson Sasmit Pokharel said the new post had been created to advise the Prime Minister on security matters and that Karki should not see it as action against him.

“A special security adviser to the Prime Minister, at the rank of inspector general of police, has been created at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers to provide the necessary security-related advice, suggestions and counsel,” Pokharel said, announcing the decision. “IGP Dan Bahadur Karki will be assigned as the special adviser.”

Asked by journalists why the IGP’s responsibility had been changed, Pokharel said, “Please do not take this as action. It is only a change of responsibility.”