Kathmandu: The Director General of the Customs Department, Shyam Bhandari, has been recalled to the Ministry of Finance.
This administrative move was initiated by Finance Minister Dr Swornim Wagle in the wake of the “BYD scandal,” a controversy that has raised serious questions regarding the integrity of the department’s leadership.
The controversy centres on allegations that sensitive information regarding upcoming tax rate changes was leaked prior to the official budget announcement. This suspected leak reportedly triggered a sudden rush to clear hundreds of electric vehicles, including those from the BYD brand, through two major customs points just before the new rates took effect.
Critics and investigators have pointed toward Director General Bhandari’s role as suspicious, leading to widespread demands for a formal probe into whether the department facilitated this pre-budget clearance to benefit specific importers.
Following a ministerial-level decision, Bhandari has been stationed at the Ministry of Finance until further notice. To ensure the continuity of operations at the Customs Department, Deputy Director General Bharatamani Pandey has been appointed as the Acting Director General. The Ministry is expected to look further into the circumstances of the suspicious clearances as part of its ongoing efforts to maintain fiscal discipline and transparency.
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