Kathmandu. Kathmandu: A committee formed to investigate against suspended Chairman of Nepal Insurance Authority Sharad Ojha has submitted its investigation report to the Finance Minister.
A three-member inquiry committee formed under the chairmanship of former High Court judge Krishna Giri submitted a report to the Ministry after conducting an inquiry into Ojha’s conduct, performance and performance of office responsibilities.
Ojha had submitted the qualifications of working in media houses and corporate houses for appointment to the post of chairman of NEA. He claimed to have worked as a consultant in the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI).
A writ petition is also pending in the Supreme Court claiming that Ojha does not have the experience of working at the managerial level as he should have at least five years of experience at the managerial level. The committee submitted its report concluding that Ojha’s appointment was illegal as he was not qualified.
Jeevan Prakash Sitaula and Kapil Dev Oli were the members of the three-member inquiry committee. The Council of Ministers had formed a committee to investigate him on July 15.
The committee’s report will now be discussed in the Cabinet, which can decide on his dismissal. However, Ojha had filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court seeking an injunction against the Government of Nepal’s Council of Ministers and the Inquiry Committee, saying that the government had not given him the right to clean up. The Supreme Court has said that he will not be allowed to see his writ petition.
Ojha was appointed chairman of the NRA by the same council of ministers on February 15. A complaint was also filed with the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) against Ojha for allegedly forging his experience certificate.
Although the Supreme Court did not pass an interim order on a writ petition seeking cancellation of Ojha’s appointment, ojha was confident for some time after the new case was postponed to November.
Ojha had proposed new employees, including a parallel executive director, without studying the organizational structure with a plan to speed up the recruitment of employees. He was criticised at the Finance Ministry for proposing recruitment of employees to put additional financial burden on the government struggling with lack of resources. They did not coordinate with the Ministry of Finance while formulating policies and programmes for the insurance sector.
The Insurance Act 2079 BS provides for the removal of the post on the basis of bad conduct, lack of efficiency and non-compliance of official responsibilities. Ojha has claimed that the government has not given any explanation as it has to ask for clarification before relieving him, form an inquiry committee if he is not satisfied with the explanation and complete the process of taking a decision to remove him from the post.
