KATHMANDU, Jan. 17 -- A day after the outlawed CPN(Maoist) led by Netra Bikram Chand claimed that it had seized land belonging to Lalita Niwas at Baluwatar, the government on Thursday said activities of the Chand-led group such as planting bombs and putting up flags were just publicity stunts.

Speaking at a weekly press briefing at his office, Minister for Communications and Information Technology Gokul Banskota claimed that the government was not trying to shield anyone involved in the Lalita Niwas land scam. "Nothing will come of putting up flags in different places. They should have shown their daring if the government was working to shield someone. The government is instead duly investigating the case," he said.

Banskota's remarks c...