The Supreme Court has issued an interim order instructing the government to reinstate controversial Managing Director of Nepal Oil Corporation Gopal Khadka for the time being.

A single bench of Justice Puroshottam Bhandari asked the government to put on hold the Cabinet decision of September 18 to sack Khadka. Meanwhile the apex court has also asked the government to furnish clarification on its decision.

With this, the government through the Office of Attorney General will submit a written clarification to the SC after which a joint bench of SC justices will further hold deliberations on issuing another interim order in Khadka's case.

The government had sacked NOC chief Khadka from the post of managing director after five parliamentary committees and the Ministry of Supplies during their investigations had found Khadka’s involvement in irregularities while buying land plots in four districts for building oil storage facilities.

Khadka is accused of misappropriating around Rs 800 million while buying land plots worth Rs 1.61 billion in four places: Bhairahawa, Chitwan, Sarlahi and Jhapa.

Khadka was appointed NOC’s managing director on January 28, 2015 by then Sushil Koirala-led government.