KATHMANDU, July 23: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a corruption case at the Special Court against seven individuals, including former Madhesh Province Finance Minister Shailendra Prasad Sah and former Bagmati Municipality Mayor Bharat Kumar Thapa, over alleged irregularities in the construction of Bharat Tal in Sarlahi.
The anti-graft body alleged that the accused caused a loss of Rs 393.97 million in public funds through irregularities in the detailed project report (DPR) and procurement process for the project’s second phase.
According to the CIAA, an unnecessary second-phase DPR was prepared under the pretext of protecting the first-phase structures, resulting in the misappropriation of public property worth Rs 393,966,333.13.
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The CIAA has sought Rs 350 million in compensation each from former Finance Minister Sah and former provincial finance secretary Gajendra Kumar Thakur.
It has also demanded Rs 393.96 million each from former Bagmati Municipality Mayor Bharat Kumar Thapa, former Deputy Mayor Leela Kumari Moktan, former Chief Administrative Officer Bimal Kumar Pokharel, and Yubaraj Pokharel, the authorized representative of contractor Bikoi-Dhulikhel JV.
Former undersecretary at the Madhesh Province Ministry of Finance, Uddhav Raj Neupane, has been charged separately, with the CIAA seeking the recovery of Rs 200 million, along with imprisonment, fines, and other penalties under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The CIAA said the tender evaluation criteria for the second phase of the Bagmati Fun Park and Resort project were approved in violation of public procurement laws to favor a specific contractor. It alleged that forged documents were used to manipulate the bidding process, leading to the misuse of provincial and municipal budgets.
The accused have been charged under Section 17 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2002, with the CIAA seeking recovery of the alleged losses, fines and additional penalties.
