KATHMANDU, June 26: Bijaya Kumar Yadav, a former Minister for Economic Affairs of Madhesh Province, and four others, have been convicted in a corruption case related to a snake breeding program at Jhalanath Khanal Institute of Health Sciences.

A Special Court bench comprising Chairman Tek Narayan Kuwar and members Tej Narayan Singh Rai and Murari Babu Shrestha, delivered the verdict on Tuesday, finding Yadav and his associates guilty. The other convicted individuals are Rewati Prasad Pant, chairman of the Institute; Nawraj Bhandari, secretary general; Niraj Bhandari, treasurer ; and Devendra Raya, a member of the Institute.

Meanwhile, the court acquitted Man Bahadur Khadka, a former Mayor of Lalbandi Municipality, and Prem Kumar Shrestha, a former secretary of the Madhesh government.

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) had accused Yadav and Khadka of colluding with officials at the Jhalanath Khanal Institute of Health Sciences to misuse Rs 179.8 million. These funds, allocated in the provincial government’s budget for fiscal year 2019/20, were intended for the establishment of a snake venom collection, processing, and production center in collaboration with Lalbandi Municipality in Sarlahi.

The next hearing to determine the jail terms of the convicted individuals is scheduled for July 9.