The Ministry of Education on Tuesday directed Sajha Prakashan Chairman Dolendra Sharma to furnish written clarification over alleged embezzlement in the publications within three days.

The directive was issued in the wake of media reports that Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Gopal Man Shrestha allegedly tried to protect Sharma from his involvement in irregularity.

Sharma has been accused of transferring publishing house’s money to his personal accounts.

The Ministry said that it has sent a report submitted by a probe committee to the Commission of the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) for investigation.

The probe panel had submitted the report to the Education Minister two weeks ago.

In the report the committee said that the Sajha Prakashan purchased papers without announcing tender.

Similarly, the report said that the Sajha Prakashan removed its officials by taking Rs 30 million loans from the government and appointed relatives operating committee members in contract.

Likewise, the Sajha Prakash did not make verification after printing the books and printed books in another press without informing about the problems of machines the report further stated.

The probe committee had also urged the authorities concerned to initiate the process to take action against the operating committee.

Minister Shrestha, however, had tried to protect Sharma by not implementing the report, the report said.

The probe committee was formed by the Ministry of Education (MoE) on July 27 with a 15-day deadline. The Committee had started its probe from August 1.

Ganesh Dhakal, under-secretary at MoE’s Monitoring and Evaluation Section; Resham Sigdel, under-secretary at the Law Section; and Sunita Khanal, an accounts officer at the ministry are the members of the probe panel. 

The Ministry said that Shama has not tendered his resignation from his post yet.