Kathmandu: A shipment of 774 BYD electric vehicles, which were held by authorities amid allegations that they were imported following a leak regarding budget tax hikes, remains in customs custody despite being cleared of any wrongdoing. A government-led investigation committee recently concluded its probe, finding no evidence of tax evasion or the misuse of confidential information regarding upcoming tax changes. Despite this clearance, the vehicles have yet to be released to the authorized distributors.
The Ministry of Finance had formed an investigation committee to look into the suspicious customs clearance of these electric vehicles (EVs) that entered Nepal through the Korala border point on the Nepal-China frontier. While the Ministry has already clarified that the vehicles entered the country through standard procedures prior to the budget announcement, the fleet remains under government control. This delay persists even though the initial suspicions of a rush-import to bypass new tax rates have been officially dismissed.
Armed Police Force spokesperson Netra Bahadur Karki confirmed that the vehicles, initially detained for necessary scrutiny, have been returned to the Customs Department. He stated that the Armed Police Force completed its investigative duties and transferred the responsibility for the final release of the vehicles to the customs authorities.
The Customs Department has indicated that the process to release the BYD vehicles is currently underway. Department spokesperson Kishor Bartaula noted that the release took longer than expected because the vehicles were under a formal investigation. He assured that the department is completing the necessary administrative paperwork and expects all the vehicles to be cleared for release as early as tomorrow.
Previously, the investigation was triggered following complaints that vehicles were being cleared through customs even before reaching the border points. Navin Dhungana, the personal secretary and public relations advisor to the Finance Minister, issued a press release stating that a high-level committee had been formed to look into these allegations. This special team included under-secretaries from the Ministry of Finance and the Customs Department, along with representatives from the Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force.
In response to concerns about an unusual surge in imports, the Ministry of Finance presented comparative data to provide context. The Ministry noted that while 4,317 electric vehicles were imported between May 14 and May 27 of the previous fiscal year, only 2,764 vehicles were imported during the same period this year. This data was used to argue that there was no extraordinary spike in imports immediately preceding the budget.
Ministry of Finance spokesperson Amrit Lamsal confirmed that since the preliminary report found no irregularities, the Customs Department is moving forward with the release. He reiterated that the vehicles entering through the Korala border followed all standard legal procedures, and based on these findings, the authorities have been directed to release the shipment.
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