Passport Department Director General Arrested Amid E-Passport Irregularities
Summary
Director General of the Department of Passports Tirtharaj Aryal was arrested for irregularities in e-passport printing, involving tax evasion and capital flight through a nexus of companies in Nepal, Singapore, and France.
Key Points
- Director General Tirtharaj Aryal was arrested on suspicion of involvement in irregularities in e-passport printing and financial crimes.
- A triangular nexus involving France's IDEMIA, Singapore's Capital Biz Solution, and Nepal's Delta Core Pvt. Ltd. was used for tax evasion and capital flight.
- The commission rate paid in the e-passport contract was unusually high at 12.25%, causing huge losses to the Nepalese state.
- The arrested officials allegedly facilitated contract manipulation, excluding competitors, and enabling large-scale corruption threatening national security.
