The Royal Commission for Control of Corruption (RCCC) has begun investigation on 21 persons – most of them relatives and friends of ministers of the ousted Sher Bahadur Deuba government and cadres of then ruling parties – who allegedly received money from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund during last Dashian festivals.

The RCCC Wednesday issued warrants to the suspects, asking them to appear before its office at Naya Baneshwor to record their statements.

They will be asked about the amount of money received (or distributed) and the legal grounds of the deals, officials said.

The RCCC had interrogated six ministers of then Deuba cabinet on Monday and Tuesday on suspicion of distributing nearly Rs.3.9 million ‘Dashain aid’ to their relatives and party leaders and cadres.

The RCCC believes that out of Rs.3.9 million, then major ruling parties, the Nepali Congress (Democratic) and CPN (UML), distributed over Rs.1.4 million each, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party Rs.650 thousand and ministers Dr Mohammad Mohsin and Badri Mandal Rs.150 thousand and Rs.2.15 thousand respectively.

The RCCC said that even as a case challenging its investigation process is pending at the Supreme Court, the judicial authority endowed on it allows it to carry on with the investigation on corruption suspects.

Commission officials said probe into 25 other corruption cases, some of them involving the private sector, is underway. nepalnews.com mbk Mar 23 05