KATHMANDU: Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) parliamentary party leader Gyanendra Shahi targeted Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle during a House of Representatives session on Thursday, accusing him of covering up a multi-billion rupee tax evasion scheme involving Electric Vehicle (EV) imports.

Citing the Auditor General’s report, Shahi claimed that EV motor capacities were manipulated to grant Rs 2.85 billion in illicit tax exemptions, contributing to a broader Rs 3.77 billion discrepancy that the Auditor General has ordered to be recovered.

Shahi further alleged that around 3,000 EVs were rushed through customs just days before the May 29 budget announcement, hinting at a deliberate leak of tax rate changes.

Reminding Speaker DP Aryal of their past joint protests for accountability while in the opposition, Shahi strongly urged the government to form a parliamentary committee to investigate the suspected financial irregularities.