Gaddachauki customs officer removed after dispute with Armed Police SP

The Department of Customs has temporarily removed Chakradev Bhatta, customs officer at the Kanchanpur Customs Office in Gaddachauki, from his responsibilities.

He has been asked in writing to report to the department in Tripureshwar to explain a dispute with SP Khumbahadur KC, chief of Armed Police Force Nepal's 34th Battalion in Kailali. The Personal Secretariat of Finance Minister Dr. Swarnim Wagle also confirmed the information.

The dispute arose after the Armed Police seized an Indian-registered vehicle, which had already cleared customs at Kanchanpur, at Attariya. SP KC said the vehicle was stopped on suspicion of under-invoicing.

An audio clip was made public in which Bhatta was allegedly heard pressuring officials, saying he would call everyone from the home minister to the inspector general of police if the vehicle was not released.

According to the department, no final action has been taken against him so far, and it has not concluded whether anyone is guilty or innocent. The department said the necessary process would move forward after further inquiry.