Nepal Police Headquarters has begun withdrawing PSOs (Personal Security Officers) from VIPs and former bureaucrats following reports of their severe exploitation.

Around 60 personnel, who had been deployed to guard the former ministers and secretaries, chief justices and justices, have already been recalled.The police headquarters swung into action after the personnel were found to be used as domestic helps and drivers although their purpose was to provide security to the concerned officials.

“The Ministry of Home Affairs has a policy for PSO deployments. We recently recalled 57 personnel who don’t need to stay with the officials they were guarding,” said Deputy Inspector General of Police Manoj Neupane. “We had been receiving complaints about exploitation of these personnel.”

DIG Neupane said if they find officials do not need the PSOs would be recalled immediately The police headquarters recently recalled the PSOs of former VIPs, including Nepali Congress leaders Chitra Lekha Yadav, Ramesh Lekhak, Arjun Narsingh KC and Minendra Rijal. It has also taken away the PSOs of former chief justice Kalyan Shrestha and Ram Prasad Shrestha, and former health ministers Uma Kanta Chaudhary and Ram Janam Chaudhary.  

A majority of those PSOs had been used as drivers while others involved in household chores. Among those recalled, 17 were found to be working as driver to the party leaders, including CPN-UML’s Ishwor Pokhrel and Surendra Karki of the CPN (Maoist Centre). The Metropolitan Traffic Police Division had been following up with the police headquarters before bringing back the personnel. Under the VIP Security Work Plan developed by the Home Ministry, VIPs can keep PSOs for a maximum of two years. The deployments of security personnel are approved by the security committee upon threat assessment.