Insurance Board Aryal faces charges of doctoring resumes

KATHMANDU, June 12:

Binod Aryal, the embattled executive director of the Insurance Board, who is facing charges of fraud and policy corruption, is now suspected of submitting doctored resumes while filing candidacy for top posts at different government agencies.

The Board, the insurance sector regulator, has found evidences that show he had tampered with his work experiences while submitting his bio data at at least two different government agencies.

Aryal had filed his candidacy for top management posts at state-run Agricultural Development Bank Limited and state-controlled Nepal Oil Corporation prior to applying for the post of executive director at the Insurance Board in February 2012. Republica was able to obtain copies of resume filed by Aryal at the development bank and the Insurance Board, but was not able to get hold of a copy of bio data submitted at the state-owned oil company.

In the resume filed at Agricultural Development Bank, Aryal has mentioned that he had, among others, worked for Arun Valley Hydropower Development Company in the capacity of senior engineer from 2000 to 2005.

But reliable sources at the hydro company told Republica that Aryal had never assumed the post at the firm.

“Yes, he was affiliated with the company but he used to provide advisory service occasionally,” the source said emphasizing on the word “occasionally”. “He never worked in the capacity of senior engineer at the firm,” the source further said. Aryal did not comment on the issue.

Aryal, however, has not included his so-called “work experience at Arun Valley” in a resume submitted to the Insurance Board.

Instead, he has replaced the “tenure” at Arun Valley with six years of experience as general manager at Continental Trading Enterprises, the authorized distributors of KIA vehicles for Nepal.

In a letter written to the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), Continental Trading Enterprises has confirmed Aryal´s enrolment in the company´s payroll from 2000 to 2006. But the letter, a copy of which is secure with Republica, says: “Aryal had joined the company in 2000 in the capacity of deputy general manager and was serving as general manager when he left the company.”

Although the letter does not mention how long Aryal worked as deputy general manager, Aryal himself told Republica that he had held that post for quite a long time and was elevated to the post of general manager “in the latter one and half years” of his six-year stint at Continental.

This has raised question on whether it was appropriate for Aryal to mention that he had worked as general manager at the company for entire six years.

These evidences show Aryal could be charged with abuse of position and may even face accusations of forgery if he had submitted fake experience letters, according to the CIB.

Aryal, who joined the Board as its executive director in February 2012, was known as a tough implementer of insurance laws and played a lead role in introducing long-overdue reforms in the insurance sector.

But he fell in hot water after he was charged with demanding compensation for total loss of a jet ski -- owned by a company promoted by him -- by purchasing insurance policy after occurrence of the accident, which is illegal. It is said Aryal also used influence to alter the cause of accident from “drowning in the Koshi River” to “fire”.

Aryal is also charged with policy corruption, through which his firm, Aryal Construction, collected millions of rupees in additional payment from an insurance company during claim settlement process.


Aryal submits clarification

Binod Aryal, the executive director of the Insurance Board, on Tuesday submitted his clarification on why the insurance sector regulator should not take action against him for his involvement in fraud, policy corruption and non-disclosure of his ties with private firms.

“In the letter I have defended all the moves that I made so far,” Aryal told Republica. “I have also asked the regulator to identify any mistake that I made since my appointment to the post of executive director.”

Earlier, the Board had given Aryal a deadline of seven days to explain why the Board should not take action against him for his involvement in filing of a fake insurance claim and issuance of a directive for personal gains. Aryal was also asked to clarify why he failed to resign as promoters of Aryal Construction and Bristi Travels prior to joining the Insurance Board as executive director

Source: Republica