Home Ministry Forms Committee to Investigate Weapon Permit Issuance to Durga Prasai

The Ministry of Home Affairs has taken a significant step towards scrutinizing the issuance and renewal of weapon permits, particularly in the case of controversial businessman Durga Prasai. On Thursday, a ministerial-level decision paved the way for the formation of a four-member committee, tasked with delving into the circumstances surrounding the granting of a weapon permit to Prasai, and subsequently renewing it.

Headed by Joint Secretary Rajendra Dev Pandey, the committee comprises Under Secretary Rishi Paudel, Superintendent of Police Santosh Bhattarai, and Under Secretary Ek Dev Adhikari, who also serves as the member-secretary. This committee has been given a crucial mandate to thoroughly investigate the process of issuing and renewing Prasai’s weapon permit and to recommend necessary actions against any individuals found culpable.

Moreover, the committee has been directed to submit a comprehensive report within 15 days, focusing on establishing clear criteria for the use of firearms by individuals possessing licenses. This includes a meticulous examination of legal provisions and practices associated with the renewal of arms licenses, with the authority to propose amendments to existing laws where deemed necessary.

In addition to its investigative role, the committee has been assigned the responsibility of reviewing the mechanisms for monitoring, regulating, and preventing the misuse of licensed arms. This entails identifying gaps in current practices and recommending measures to enhance the oversight and control of firearms.

The formation of this committee comes in the wake of recent events involving Prasai’s associates, Deepak Khadka and Raj Kumar Dhital, who were apprehended with a semi-automatic weapon and 100 bullets from the premises of the Supreme Court on March 18. Despite their arrest, a bench comprising Nahakul Subedi and Sunil Kumar Pokharel later ordered their release, underscoring the need for a thorough examination of the processes surrounding weapon permits.