KATHMANDU: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a charge sheet at the Special Court against 97 people, including former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and former minister Minendra Rijal, over the illegal exchange and sale of government land.
The case was filed following an investigation into the illegal transfer and sale of government land registered in the name of Rijal Canning and Company Pvt Ltd in the then Biratnagar Sub-Metropolitan City-3 of Morang district, according to the CIAA.
In a statement issued by CIAA Spokesperson Suresh Neupane, the commission said some former officials named in the case had already died. Their legal heirs have been made defendants solely for the purpose of recovering the amount claimed as losses.
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According to the investigation, Rijal Canning and Company was granted permission in 2032 BS to retain land exceeding the ceiling on the condition that it operate a fruit-processing industry. However, the company did not use the land for the stipulated purpose, and a decision to confiscate it was made in 2048 BS.
Despite the decision, the freeze on the land was lifted in 2063 BS through alleged collusion among officials and office-bearers of various government agencies, the CIAA said. In 2066 BS, the process to exchange the land in Biratnagar was initiated based on a decision of the Cabinet's Social Committee.
The commission said the company sold four bighas, five katthas and nine dhurs of high-value land in Biratnagar and purchased lower-value land in the then Banigama Village Development Committee in exchange. The company bought the land in Banigama for Rs 1.285 million, while the Biratnagar land was sold for Rs 83.8625 million.
The CIAA concluded that the transaction caused losses to the government while allowing the defendants to obtain unlawful benefits. It has fixed the total amount claimed in the case at Rs 734.956 million.
Those named in the charge sheet include former Prime Minister Nepal and former minister Rijal, as well as secretaries, joint secretaries and undersecretaries of various ministries, officials from land revenue and land reform offices, agriculture-sector officials, school principals and company directors.
The commission has sought prison terms, fines equivalent to the amount claimed and recovery of the amount under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2002. It has also sought additional punishment for some defendants.
As the disputed land is now registered in the names of various individuals and institutions, the CIAA has also sought its confiscation in accordance with the law. The commission said the current landowners have also been made defendants for the purpose of confiscating the property.
