PAC to grill former communication minister, state minister, 84 journalists



Former communication minister Tanka Dhakal (File photo)

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the House of Representatives has decided to interrogate former communication minister, state ministers and officials at the Ministry of Information and Communications on Sunday in connection with the distribution of money to media houses and journalists.

The PAC has decided to interrogate communication minister of the royal regime Tanka Dhakal and state minister Shrish SJB Rana and then secretary and staffers of the ministry of information and communication for distributing money to journalists, media houses and media organisations during the royal regime to ensure that it got good press.



Former minister of state for information and communication Shrish SJB Rana (File photo)

The committee would interrogate them on why they distributed the amount to the journalists and the media houses and whether the amount actually reached the said persons.

The PAC also decided to summon 84 journalists, who according to the ministry, took money from the ministry.

The PAC also directed the Ministry to give all details on the doling out of Rs 7.5 million to journalists and media bodies named in the second list released by the ministry.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Information and Communication Dilendra Prasad Badu informed the PAC that the ministry has already recommended that the CIAA probe the case of the 14 journalists who had pleaded innocent and accused the ministry of defaming them and hinted that the ministry staffers had embezzled the money.

He informed that the ministry had not given the clean chit to those journalists adding, the ministry has recommended the CIAA to investigate the matter. nepalnews.com pb July 19 06