Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Kansakar vows to buy aircraft for NAC

A day after being acquitted by the Special Court of corruption charges in the Airbus purchase deal, Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) executive chairman Sugat Ratna Kansakar said that he would purchase aircraft for the national flag carrier at any cost.

Kansakar made this remark after resuming office on Wednesday at NAC. Addressing the staff, Kansakar expressed his confidence of overcoming any challenge to acquire aircraft for NAC. “I have suffered extremely over the aircraft purchase deal, and I don’t want to let my efforts go in vain,” said Kansakar to appreciative employees during the one-and-a-half-hour long welcome programme.

Although supporters of Kansakar were seen to be enthusiastic, unions and staffers supporting NAC managing director Kul Bahadur Limbu remained absent at the welcome programme. Kansakar and Limbu were at opposite ends regarding NAC’s plan to purchase aircraft from Airbus. After the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) filed a corruption charge against Kansakar, Limbu was running the show at NAC.

The Special Court on Tuesday acquitted Kansakar and five other NAC officials - deputy managing directors Raju

Bahadur KC and Ganesh Thakur, acting director Gyanendra Purush Dhakal, director Mayur Shumsher Rana and acting deputy director Keshav Raj Sharma — who had been accused of corruption in the Airbus purchase deal. “All the officials will carry on their respective duties from Thursday,” said KC.

On the same occasion, Thakur said that signing of the deal to send the lock-up money to Airbus was one of the happiest moments of his life. “Unfortunately, the purchase process was stopped.”

The acquitted officials pointed out that the aircraft purchase deal was the right move. “Our efforts have proved that we were in favour in NAC,” the team said.

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