A three-member team, consisting of joint secretaries from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has started probing the allegation of human trafficking against Nepali Ambassador to Australia Lucky Sherpa.

The team began its inquiry by questioning Ambassador Sherpa at the ministry on Sunday, sources said. 

Joint secretaries at the ministry Mani Bhattarai, Dipak Adhikari and Tapas Adhikari will study the case in detail and make their rec-ommendation— whether to remove or retain the envoy— to Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali.“The investigation is in progress. The team is studying the allegation against her,” Foreign Minister Gyawali told the Post. 

Earlier this week, the ministry had sought a written clarification from Ambassador Sherpa. But as she could not provide a compelling case to disprove the allegation, the ministry decided to inquire her in person.

Ambassador Sherpa’s former driver Wonchhu has accused her and her husband of running a human trafficking racket.

Wongchhu, who was reportedly fired from his job last November, had claimed in a recent television interview that he used to collect money for the Sherpa couple from several individuals in Nepal in return for safe passage to Australia. 

Wongchhu had also said that he has a recording of a phone conversation between  him and the ambassador to corroborate his claim.