KATHMANDU: Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak said the Ministry of Home Affairs will issue a formal statement addressing the growing visit visa scandal at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), where officials allegedly ran a bribery racket linked to his secretariat.

Speaking at a Nepali Congress event in Dhanusha on Saturday, Lekhak stated he had deliberately remained silent for a few days to understand the origin and depth of the controversy.

“I’ve now come to know quite a bit. The ministry will issue a statement later today,” he said, adding that he would personally speak in two to four days and urged the public not to panic.

Denying any personal involvement, Lekhak claimed, “I’ve never done anything in my political life that would make my party hang its head in shame. If I’m involved, I will quit politics altogether.”

The scandal intensified after the CIAA arrested TIA Immigration Chief Tirtha Raj Bhattarai—appointed by Lekhak last October—on charges of corruption.

Media reports allege immigration staff and individuals close to Lekhak collected bribes ranging from Rs 20,000 to Rs 300,000 from travelers seeking visit visas, with daily earnings reaching up to Rs 5 million.

The Home Ministry reportedly tried to transfer Bhattarai on Tuesday, but the move was cut short by the CIAA’s arrest.

Meanwhile, a writ demanding Lekhak’s dismissal has been filed at the Supreme Court, and a separate complaint has been lodged at the Prime Minister’s Office accusing officials of issuing visas based on fake documents.