CIAA takes Dr Bhaktaman to court over graft

CIAA steps up probe and filing of cases against ‘corrupt’ officials

KATHMANDU, Feb 15: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) on Sunday filed yet another graft case against chairman of B P Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital (BPKMCH) Dr Bhaktaman Shrestha on the charge of amassing property disproportionate to his known sources of income and embezzling funds through abuse of his authority.

The CIAA has asked the court to recoup Rs 10.67 million from Shrestha.

Similarly, the anti-graft body has sought maximum punishment for the accused and also demanded the confiscation of his assets whose origins could not be shown.
Shrestha's wife Dr Silu has been made defendant in the case, according to the CIAA.

Lately, the CIAA has stepped up its investigations and filing of cases against various incumbent and retired officials at the Special Court on charges of misuse of authority and accumulating wealth disproportionate to their known sources of income.

On February 11, the CIAA had filed a graft case at the Special Court against former assistant manager of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Dhurba Kumar Uprety accusing him of amassing property disproportionate to his known sources of income by misusing his authority. Uprety has been accused of embezzling Rs 41.8 million during his tenure at NEA.

On February 8, the anti-graft body had filed a case against Suresh Singh, an employee at Sagarmatha Forest Development Project Office, Sarlahi, at the Special Court on similar charges -- amassing property through misuse of authority. The CIAA had asked the court to recoup Rs 13.6 million from him and give him maximum punishment.

CIAA on Sunday filed a charge-sheet at the Special Court, Kathmandu against Suresh Singh, an employee at Sagarmatha Forest Development Project Office, Sarlahai, for illegally amassing property and embezzling public funds.

"In Magh [mid-January to mid-February] alone, we filed more than five corruption cases. More such cases are currently under CIAA's investigation. Our investigation team is working in a way that the CIAA can file at least one such case at the court per week," said Krishna Hari Pushkar, spokesperson of the CIAA.

Last year, in December, the CIAA had started investigation against more than 40 individuals including former and incumbent government ministers, lawmakers, other high-ranking officials and individuals from various sectors on suspicion of accumulating wealth through corruption.