In a significant development, the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has uncovered a widespread extortion network operating at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). The network allegedly involved immigration officials, police personnel, travel agencies, and middlemen who facilitated the clearance of travelers without meeting official criteria, in exchange for bribes.
Tirtha Raj Bhattarai, a senior bureaucrat who recently served as Chief Immigration Officer at TIA, was arrested following a CIAA probe into his alleged involvement in this human trafficking ring. During the investigation, electronic devices were seized from the immigration office and Bhattarai's mobile phone, which is now a key piece of evidence.
The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has demanded Bhattarai's immediate resignation to ensure an impartial investigation. Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has publicly pledged to resign from both his ministerial post and politics entirely if any corruption allegations against him are substantiated. The Ministry of Home Affairs has denied any involvement of its leadership in the alleged human trafficking case.
