By Our Reporter

The government has finally formed a high-level committee to investigate the much-talked-about visit visa scam.

The government, which was against forming the committee even when the House procedures were stalled for days, has finally formed the committee led by former Chief Secretary Shankar Das Bairagi.

Other members are joint secretaries Tirtharaj Chilwal (Finance), Aruna Joshi (Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs), Ram Krishna Lamichhane (Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation), Maniratna Koirala (Foreign Affairs), Pradeep Koirala (Labour, Employment, and Social Security), and Anand Kafle (Home Affairs).

A Cabinet meeting on Monday has decided to form the committee on Monday and Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak informed the House about the formation of the committee on Tuesday.

However, Rastriya Swatantra Party has objected to the committee and boycotted the House meeting on Tuesday.

Both RSP and Rastriya Prajatantra Party have been demanding the resignation of Home Minister Lekhak for his involvement in the visit visa scam. Earlier, the main opposition Maoist Centre was also obstructing the House demanding a powerful parliamentary committee and the resignation of Lekhak, but the party stopped obstructing the House after signing a two-point deal with the ruling parties.

After Minister Lekhak briefed the House of Representatives on the mandate of the high-level probe committee, the RSP and RPP objected to it, particularly its coordinator Bairagi, who has escaped CIAA investigation.