KATHMANDU: In response to claims that Indira Rana Magar, the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR), addressed a letter to the US Embassy requesting visa appointments, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has confirmed Magar's innocence. A letter that Rana wrote to the US Embassy in Kathmandu seventeen months ago gave rise to the dispute.

The RSP issued a press release in response, claiming Rana’s innocence and backing a fair investigation. The party conducted an internal investigation upon learning about Rana’s letter and found that the individuals for whom Rana had sought visa interview dates never left the country, and no financial transactions were involved.

The RSP stated that consultations with various diplomatic bodies and experts revealed that it is common for political party leaders to request interview dates and make recommendations for visas, either written or verbal. The party confirmed its readiness to back a fair investigation into the matter if needed.

The RSP alleged that the recent coalition of Nepali Congress and CPN-UML conspired to fabricate the allegations to harm the RSP’s reputation.