Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Lokendra Bista Magar was stopped and interrogated by the police at Abu Dhabi airport, UAE, when he landed there on a transit while flying to Germany Monday night.

Minister Bista was caught by the immigration officials at the airport after he was found to be travelling without visa to Germany. An official at the German Embassy confirmed to Nepalnews that he did not apply for visa.

However, an staffer at minister Bista's secretariat claimed that he was stopped by the police for interrogation "due to some confusion over printing in his diplomatic passport" and was released later on.

The minister's aide refused to explain the circumstances under which he was arrested and interrogated at the airport.

Minister Bista was released at the diplomatic initiation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but had not left for Germany by 7:15 pm NST with the Nepali diplomatic officials trying to secure his passage from Abu Dhabi to Germany.

MoFA officials are known to have convinced the German Embassy to communicate with the authorities in Abu Dhabi to allow him to fly to Germany.

Minister Bista had left Kathmandu yesterday for Germany to attend the ITB Berlin Convention 2012 to be held from March 7 to 11.
nepalnews.com