DRI all set to auction casino operator’s land
KATHMANDU, MAY 29 -
The Department of Revenue Investigation (DRI) is all set to auction the land belonging to Nepal Recreation Centre (NRC) that operates four casinos in the country. NRC has around 3.5 ropanies of land and a house in Kalimati.
Over the last week, DRI informed NRC twice that if it did not pay the outstanding royalty dues within three days, its property will be auctioned. “We will issue an auction notice next week as NRC did not respond to our letters,” said a senior DRI official. “It can pay the dues until Monday to save the land.”
NRC’s two casinos—Casino Nepal and Casino Anna—have to pay Rs 130 million and Rs 110 million, respectively, as of May. The government has already frozen NRC’s bank accounts and assets.
NRC owner Rakesh Wadhwa is absconding after the government initiated action against his company. With Wadhwa on the run, Casino Nepal stationed at Hotel Soaltee Crowne Plaza has not paid salary to its staff for the last six months.
Wadhwa has already sold 50 percent stake in Casino Anna to two Indian buyers. “We have also warned the new management of Casino Anna to pay the dues at the earliest,” said the DRI official. “We hope it will pay the dues as it is operating well, unlike Casino Nepal.” With the Supreme Court opening the door for recovering royalty dues from casinos and even from hotels that own licenses, DRI also wrote to hotels that are issued licenses to operate casinos. “Hotel Soattee that houses Casino Nepal responded positively, saying that it is ready to pay the dues if NRC’s fixed and movable assets cannot cover the outstanding dues,” said the DRI official.
As per the agreement between Soaltee Hotel and NRC reached 18 years ago, the hotel has given the license and the property to NRC on lease for running the casino.
In response to DRI’s letter, Hotel Annapurna has made it clear that it is not liable to pay the dues as it was not the one who was awarded the licence. “Instead, the hotel has asked for our help to vacate Casino Anna from the hotel premises,” said the DRI official.
Annapurna International holds Casino Anna’s operating license. It was awarded the license when Annapurna International used to operate both Hotel Annapurna and Casino Anna.
DRI had also written to the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, asking it inform about the progress made regarding taking action against these casinos. “The ministry is yet to respond to our letter,” said the DRI official.
The Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee has already directed the government to scrap licences of casinos not paying royalty. DRI Director General Shanta Bahadur Shrestha said his office will leave no stone unturned to recover the royalty dues.
Source: Kantipur
The Department of Revenue Investigation (DRI) is all set to auction the land belonging to Nepal Recreation Centre (NRC) that operates four casinos in the country. NRC has around 3.5 ropanies of land and a house in Kalimati.
Over the last week, DRI informed NRC twice that if it did not pay the outstanding royalty dues within three days, its property will be auctioned. “We will issue an auction notice next week as NRC did not respond to our letters,” said a senior DRI official. “It can pay the dues until Monday to save the land.”
NRC’s two casinos—Casino Nepal and Casino Anna—have to pay Rs 130 million and Rs 110 million, respectively, as of May. The government has already frozen NRC’s bank accounts and assets.
NRC owner Rakesh Wadhwa is absconding after the government initiated action against his company. With Wadhwa on the run, Casino Nepal stationed at Hotel Soaltee Crowne Plaza has not paid salary to its staff for the last six months.
Wadhwa has already sold 50 percent stake in Casino Anna to two Indian buyers. “We have also warned the new management of Casino Anna to pay the dues at the earliest,” said the DRI official. “We hope it will pay the dues as it is operating well, unlike Casino Nepal.” With the Supreme Court opening the door for recovering royalty dues from casinos and even from hotels that own licenses, DRI also wrote to hotels that are issued licenses to operate casinos. “Hotel Soattee that houses Casino Nepal responded positively, saying that it is ready to pay the dues if NRC’s fixed and movable assets cannot cover the outstanding dues,” said the DRI official.
As per the agreement between Soaltee Hotel and NRC reached 18 years ago, the hotel has given the license and the property to NRC on lease for running the casino.
In response to DRI’s letter, Hotel Annapurna has made it clear that it is not liable to pay the dues as it was not the one who was awarded the licence. “Instead, the hotel has asked for our help to vacate Casino Anna from the hotel premises,” said the DRI official.
Annapurna International holds Casino Anna’s operating license. It was awarded the license when Annapurna International used to operate both Hotel Annapurna and Casino Anna.
DRI had also written to the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, asking it inform about the progress made regarding taking action against these casinos. “The ministry is yet to respond to our letter,” said the DRI official.
The Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee has already directed the government to scrap licences of casinos not paying royalty. DRI Director General Shanta Bahadur Shrestha said his office will leave no stone unturned to recover the royalty dues.
Source: Kantipur
