Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari has directed Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) to submit the documents relating to the purchase of two wide-body aircraft for the national flag carrier.

In a meeting of the International Relations Committee of Parliament on Friday, the Minister pledged to present all the documents of the aircraft purchase deal after the lawmakers said the deal was not transparent and demand a probe panel to look into the matter.

The meeting discussed the issues surrounding the purchase of the aircraft in which lawmakers raised questions whether the aircraft was purchased or leased.

Responding the questions, Secretary at Tourism Minister Krishna Devkota said the aircraft were owned by the government, and has one-and-a-half year warranty.

CPN-UML lawmaker Bhim Rawal and Nepali Congress lawmaker Prakash Man Singh demanded information and certificate of the aircraft purchase deal.

“One gets receipt even after paying a minor tax. But it’s strange that we haven’t received a clear-cut answer about the purchase of a plane worth billions or rupees,” Rawal said.

Nepal Airlines Corporation Managing Director Sugat Ratnat Kansakar admitted that the aircraft were bought through a mediator company and assured to submit all the related documents within the next few days.

When former Prime Minister and CPN-UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal enquired if the NAC had business plans, MD Kansakar said the NAC has 300-page plan. NC lawmaker Sujata Koirala asked why the newly bought aircraft are grounded.

Earlier in the meeting of Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee on Tuesday, Nepali Congress MP Minendra Rijal had called for a parliamentary inquiry into the wide-body aircraft purchase deal between Nepal Airlines Corporation and the US-based AAR Corp.

The national flag carrier took delivery of two Airbus A330-200 series aircraft in June and July. The aircraft were purchased from the US-based AAR Corporation for $209.6 million, the largest ever aircraft purchase deal in Nepal’s aviation history, by taking loan from Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and Citizens Investment Trust (CIT).