KATHMANDU, June 12: Prime Minister Balendra Shah has accused the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) of failing for years to effectively investigate the wealth of political leaders and senior bureaucrats, arguing that this shortcoming made the formation of the Asset Investigation Commission necessary.
In a written submission to the Supreme Court, Shah said the CIAA was not realistically capable of examining the assets of all political office holders and senior officials who had remained in power for long periods. He argued that the new commission was created to fill that gap, not to replace the constitutional anti-graft body.
Shah stated that the CIAA mainly investigates public officials against whom complaints are filed, leaving many cases of suspected illicit enrichment untouched. As a result, he said, corruption, illegal wealth accumulation, and concealment of assets have flourished, fueling public concerns that powerful individuals often escape punishment.
Defending the commission’s legality, Shah said its purpose is to collect, examine, and report on the assets of political leaders and senior officials over a specified period. He noted that the objective was clearly outlined in the government notice published on April 15, 2026.
The prime minister argued that the commission was established to promote good governance, curb corruption, and address impunity. He cited the government’s 100-point governance reform agenda, approved by the first Cabinet meeting, which included a commitment to create such a body under the Prime Minister’s Office.
Responding to claims that the commission resembles the royal era anti-corruption bodies formed during the rule of former king Gyanendra Shah, Shah rejected the comparison. He said the commission is a temporary investigative body that only submits reports and recommendations to the government.
Unlike the CIAA, the commission cannot prosecute cases or file charges in court. Its role is limited to gathering information on assets, tracing sources of wealth, and referring suspicious findings to agencies such as the CIAA for further investigation.
Shah maintained that the commission does not infringe on the CIAA’s constitutional authority. The CIAA retains its full powers to investigate corruption and prosecute public officials, he said.
According to Shah, the commission will identify individuals with potentially unexplained wealth, examine their assets, and recommend action where the source of wealth cannot be justified. He argued that the body will strengthen, rather than weaken, the work of existing anti-corruption agencies by helping them act more quickly and effectively.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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