Responding to queries of Parliamentary Hearing Special Committee members on Sunday, Basnyat said he had completed Masters’ degree from a Nepal-accredited university in Bihar, India. “The CIAA has already looked into the matter,” Basnyat said, indicating that his degree was genuine.

 Complaints filed at the parliamentary panel have accused Basnyat of producing fake academic certificate acquired from a Bihar-based university to get promotion to the post of joint-secretary. He is accused of acquiring fake certificate, with ‘A’ grade marks, for promotion though he also earned a Master’s degree from Tribhuvan University (TU). The complaints also state that Basnyat was recommended as a commissioner of the anti-graft body in order to put his case on hold after the TU started probe into fake certificates of civil servants. Basnyat has also been accused of receiving bribe from manpower companies while he was at the Labour Department and from various businessmen while he was at the Finance Ministry.