KATHMANDU: The Parliamentary Special Investigation Committee has concluded that Chief Secretary Ek Narayan Aryal prevented officials from signing their statements related to the manipulation of the Civil Service Bill’s cooling-off period clause.

The committee had summoned Prime Minister’s Office Secretary Phanindra Gautam and other officials on Sunday to validate their statements, but they refused to appear, allegedly on Aryal’s directive.

The probe suspects senior bureaucrats, led by Aryal, lobbied to nullify the agreed two-year cooling-off provision for retired or resigned civil servants.

Amid political divisions, the committee has struggled to finalize its report.

Opposition parties (Maoist Centre, RSP, RPP) are pushing to name Aryal in the report, while ruling parties (CPN-UML, Nepali Congress) are resisting, leading to extended meetings.

With no consensus, the committee has yet to complete its report, which was scheduled to be presented in today’s House session.