Uncovering Corruption at Tribhuvan International Airport
Kathmandu, October 31 – A shocking investigation by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has unveiled a significant corruption scandal involving employees at the Immigration Office of Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). This disturbing revelation highlights how these officials have been colluding with middlemen to grant unauthorized departure permits, primarily targeting women seeking employment in Qatar and Dubai.
Details of the Investigation
The investigation gained traction when immigration officer Kamal Prasad Parajuli was arrested on July 31. Evidence showed that he was part of a larger network, collaborating with other immigration staff to circumvent laws prohibiting women from being sent to Gulf nations as housemaids. Alarmingly, Parajuli was found to have been issuing departure stamps without maintaining any official records, thereby obscuring his unethical practices.
How the Scheme Operated
According to Joint Secretary Pradip Kumar Koirala, the CIAA spokesperson, Parajuli and his associates had managed to issue departure permits for 249 individuals. In a brazen disregard for the law, these officials would disable the official computer network and resort to SMS communication to decide which candidates would receive permits under the guise of visit visas. They were charging each individual a fee of Rs 10,000, facilitated through agents who helped them circumvent legal barriers.
The Web of Corruption
The list of implicated immigration employees includes several notable names—Manahari Baral, Dinesh KM, Toran Parajuli, Chakra Bahadur Shrestha, and others. Among them, two computer operators, Roshan Gautam and Bhoj Prakash Neupane, played crucial roles in executing this scheme. Investigations revealed that once the money was exchanged, these employees failed to verify documentation or maintain any records of the women migrating illegally. In fact, they actively destroyed evidence related to these fraudulent departures.
Financial Gains and Legal Repercussions
The CIAA reported that a staggering Rs 2.48 million was collected from the 248 individuals for these illicit permits. Following their arrests, the implicated employees faced charges under section 3(1) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. They were subsequently dismissed from their positions and sentenced to jail time. The CIAA also ensured that the ill-gotten gains of Rs 2.48 million were recovered, serving as a reminder of the consequences of such abuses.
Legal Protections and Challenges
This scandal comes on the heels of stringent regulations aimed at protecting women migrant workers. In 2012, the Nepali government imposed a ban on women below the age of 30 from working in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and the UAE. This age restriction was further tightened in 2015, lowering the permissible age to 24 for women aspiring to work in Oman, Bahrain, Lebanon, and Malaysia.
Despite these measures, reports indicate that the bans have not deterred women from seeking employment in the Gulf. Instead, many are turning to illegal avenues, exposing them to significant risks, including forced labor and exploitation. The alarming findings of the 2019 report titled “Rights Situation of Migrant Workers” by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) put a spotlight on the failure of these bans to effectively curb illegal migration.
The Government’s Dilemma
The Nepali government enacted these regulations with noble intentions—to safeguard women from the perils associated with overseas employment. However, the stark reality is that these policies have failed to eliminate the demand for illegal migration. According to NHRC, if women pursue foreign employment through these unauthorized channels and suffer harm, their families are left without any support from the government.
The implications of this ongoing crisis are profound, raising questions about the effectiveness of current policies and the ethical responsibilities of those in positions of authority. As investigations continue, many are left wondering how such blatant corruption could persist in an institution designed to uphold the law and protect its citizens.
