Director of DoTM caught red-handed taking bribe

KATHMANDU, Dec 31: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) on Thursday detained Technical Director of Department of Transportation Management (DoTM) Nabin Kumar Pokharel from his office after he was caught red-handed with a bribe of Rs 180,000. Acting on a tipoff, a team from the anti-graft body raided the DoTM office, New Baneshwar and caught Pokharel with the bribe amount, according to the CIAA.

A press statement issued by the body stated that Pokharel had demanded a bribe of Rs 180,000 with AVON Cycles to issue a recommendation letter for waiving customs fees on 36 electric scooters. Nepalgunj Customs Office had asked the company to bring the letter for customs clearance. “Pokharel had sought Rs 5,000 each for 36 electric scooters in return for writing the recommendation letter,” read the statement.

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The CIAA has stated that the authority has started further investigation into Pokharel following his arrest. On Wednesday, the CIAA had detained four officers of the Land Revenue Office in Dilibazaar after they were found asking a bribe of Rs 500,000 from a service seeker. Three assistant officers Mukunda Raj Pandey, Ek Narayan Aryal, Posta Raj Pokharel, and an office helper Lahari Kumal were detained on charge of corruption. The authority carried out the raid at the two offices in the capital after a large number of complaints were filed at the body against them.