According to Special Court Registrar Dhir Bahadur Chand, the court will initiate the process of final hearing on the graft charges - involving three former police chiefs, 31 police officers and two contractors - after September 1. [break]
Till date, except for former AIG Dipak Singh Thangden, 34 police officers facing graft charges in connection with Sudan scam, have appeared before the court to defend charges slapped by the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA). The court had sought bail amounts from 22 accused while 12 accused were released against general dates as per court´s order.
"The court will initiate detailed hearings over the Sudan scam after 1st of September if former AIG Thangden appears before the court by then," said Registrar Chand, adding, "The court has planned to hold hearings against all accused and settle the case within the stipulated deadline."
According to Special Court´s order, 34 police officers, including three former chiefs and a contractor Shambhu Bharati, appeared before the court on Tuesday. The court then asked them to reappear before the court on September 1.
"After holding next round of hearings soon, the court may ask CIAA, other agencies concerned and even those accused in the scam to furnish documents related to Sudan scam for necessary cross-verification," Chand added.
However, the court will order any agency and accused to furnish documents if it feels the need of such document during the hearing process. "The court will check, cross-check and carry out study on the evidences involving the Sudan scam," said Chand, adding, "The Special Court is pondering to clear the Sudan case without delay."
The national anti-graft body, CIAA, had filed a corruption case against 36 police officers at the Special Court accusing them of embezzling about Rs 290 million while procuring and supplying Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs) and other logistics to Nepali peacekeepers deployed in Darfur, Sudan.
A total of Rs 500.5 million has been accumulated at the Special Court from bail amounts posted by 22 accused police officers and a contractor, allegedly involved in the multi-million rupee Sudan scam.
Of the total 22 accused from whom the Special Court sought bail amounts, former Chief of Nepal Police Om Bikram Rana and Contractor Shambhu Bharati surpassed all other accused in posting bail amounts. The court sought the biggest-ever bail amounts from Rana and Bharati - Rs 150 million each.
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