Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority Chief Commissioner Lok Man Singh Karki on Tuesday failed to show up at a meeting called by the Good Governance and Monitoring Committee (GGMC) of Parliament, citing “health reasons”.

The GGMC on Friday had decided to summon CIAA chief commissioner and other commissioners to discuss the allegations that anti-graft body had interfered in medical entrance examinations of Kathmandu University (KU).

CIAA Chief Commissioner Karki on Tuesday sent a letter to the GGMC, informing that he would not be able to attend the meeting as he was suffering from throat infection, was under medication and has been advised by doctors not to speak.

Eight officials, including Secretary Shanta Raj Subedi, represented the CIAA in the meeting. The CIAA officials too reiterated that Chief Commissioner Karki “has throat infection and has been advised not to speak”.

Amid allegations that the anti-graft body had gone beyond its jurisdiction to conduct medical entrance tests of KU, the House committee on Friday had held discussions with university officials before deciding to summon CIAA chief commissioner and other commissioners to discuss the matter. The KU officials, during their meeting with the GGMC members, had said the CIAA “had interfered” in the entrance examinations of the varsity’s School of Medical Sciences.

They had told the House panel that the CIAA’s “team of experts” had also confiscated a computer hard drive, which the anti-graft body had returned later.

The CIAA been accused of sending a “team of experts” and preparing new test papers of KU examinations, saying questions had been leaked. The CIAA move of interfering in an autonomous university’s activities has been

widely criticised for going beyond its jurisdiction.

Dr Govinda KC, who broke his hunger strike after 16 days on Monday, also has been demanding impeachment of Karki, accusing the CIAA and its officials of meddling in the medical education sector.

During Tuesday’s GGMC meeting, majority of lawmakers demanded an inquiry into matter.

“We have to find out whether or not KU had given the consent in writing to the CIAA to conduct the entrance examination. We need to collect all the documents,” said lawmaker Arjun Narsingh KC, a member of the GGMC.

CIAA Secretary Subedi argued that the anti-graft body had not crossed its constitutional and legal boundary while conducting the entrance examination. “The CIAA has always honoured the university’s academic freedom. We were only performing our duties after repeated complaints of irregularities,” said Subedi.

Sub-committee formed

KATHMANDU: The Good Governance and Monitoring Committee of Parliament has formed a five-member sub-committee to probe into the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority’s alleged interference in medical entrance examinations of Kathmandu University (KU). The sub-committee headed by Uday Nepali Shrestha has Padam Narayan Chaudhary, Narshing Chaudhary and Milan Kumari Rajbanshi as the members. According to Mohan Singh Rathour, chairperson of the GGMC, the sub- committee has been asked to submit its report in 10 days. “The sub-committee will investigate into CIAA’s alleged involvement in the entrance examination and prepare a report based on its findings,” added. (PR)