Kathmandu: After months of a grim battle between Nepal's communist-led government and the republic's casinos, where an Indian businessman held major stakes, the death knell finally sounded for the gaming industry with revenue authorities seeking to scrap the licence of eight of the 10 casinos.
After a 35-day deadline slapped by a parliamentary committee on the casinos to clear their dues to the state, which ran into millions of rupees, expired Friday, the Department of Revenue Investigation Sunday asked the tourism ministry to revoke the licences of the eight defaulting casinos.
The casinos that are set to lose their licence are Casino Nepal, the oldest in South Asia, Casino Rad, Venus, Grande, Royale, Anna, Shangri-la and Fulbari.
Only two casinos - Casino Tara and Everest - cleared their dues after the Public Accounts Committee of parliament last month warned that the defaulters were liable to lose their licence.
Originally, most of the casinos in the capital were run by Nepal Recreation Center that had a virtual monopoly over the industry. A businessman now believed to be based in New Delhi, Rakesh Wadhwa, was its managing director.
The situation has become complicated with some of the hotels from where the casinos were operating throwing out NRC for being behind with rent and announcing their decision to run the casinos on their own.
Though Singh's company paid its dues, the revenue authorities have still sought to revoke its licence as the original owner NRC has not paid up its dues.
To eradicate the Maoist stronghold on the casinos, the government stepped up raids on the casinos, which are obligated by law to bar admission to Nepalis but had been allowing them on the sly as the number of Indian gamblers dipped.
Wadhwa fled Nepal after a warrant was issued for his arrest and is now believed to be trying to sell his stake to two Indian investors.
After a 35-day deadline slapped by a parliamentary committee on the casinos to clear their dues to the state, which ran into millions of rupees, expired Friday, the Department of Revenue Investigation Sunday asked the tourism ministry to revoke the licences of the eight defaulting casinos.
The casinos that are set to lose their licence are Casino Nepal, the oldest in South Asia, Casino Rad, Venus, Grande, Royale, Anna, Shangri-la and Fulbari.
Only two casinos - Casino Tara and Everest - cleared their dues after the Public Accounts Committee of parliament last month warned that the defaulters were liable to lose their licence.
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Originally, most of the casinos in the capital were run by Nepal Recreation Center that had a virtual monopoly over the industry. A businessman now believed to be based in New Delhi, Rakesh Wadhwa, was its managing director.
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The situation has become complicated with some of the hotels from where the casinos were operating throwing out NRC for being behind with rent and announcing their decision to run the casinos on their own.
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Though Singh's company paid its dues, the revenue authorities have still sought to revoke its licence as the original owner NRC has not paid up its dues.
Advertisement
To eradicate the Maoist stronghold on the casinos, the government stepped up raids on the casinos, which are obligated by law to bar admission to Nepalis but had been allowing them on the sly as the number of Indian gamblers dipped.
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Wadhwa fled Nepal after a warrant was issued for his arrest and is now believed to be trying to sell his stake to two Indian investors.
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