Tuesday, March 22 2005 11:40 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kathmandu: Nepal Government yesterday (Mar 21, 2005) summoned six Ministers of the dissolved Sher Bahadur Deuba Cabinet in connection with alleged irregularities in the disbursement of State funds, but later released four of them on bail after they offered their explanation.

Out of the six Ministers who were summoned to appear within 24 hours before the high-level Royal Commission for Corruption Control, ex-Home Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka and former Agriculture Minister Homnath Dahal of Nepali Congress (Democratic), ex-Forest Minister Badri Mandal of Nepal Sadbhavana Party (B) and former Information and Communication Minister Mohammad Mohsin furnished their explanation and were later released on bail.

However, former Land Reform Minister Jogmeher Shrestha of Rastriya Prajatantra Party and ex-Local Development Minister Yuvraj Gyawali of Nepal Communist Party-UML are required to present themselves at the Commission's office today (Mar 22, 2005).

The Commission, formed after the February 1 royal takeover to trial politicians and bureaucrats, summoned the former Ministers to question in connection with the disbursement of the Prime Minister's Fund.

Both the ex-Ministers of Nepali Congress (Democratic) have termed the action as "politically motivated and prejudiced".

The Royal Commission headed by Bhakta Bahadur Koirala, which overshadows the already existing corruption control body the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority, is authorised to confiscate property, levy a fine or jail term of up to six months if the accused is found guilty.