KATHMANDU, July 28: Suspended Chief Secretary Baikuntha Aryal has appeared at the Special Court to provide his statement in the ongoing corruption case against him.

Aryal presented himself in court 35 days after the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) filed the case against him. On Sunday, he will testify before Chairman Teknarayan Kunwar and members Ram Bahadur Thapa and Ritendra Thapa of the Special Court. Following his statement, the court will decide whether to remand him to prison, release him on bail, or grant him release on his own recognizance.

Aryal faces allegations of corruption related to the awarding of a contract to private company Suraksha Printing Center for printing excise stickers. After the case was filed, he was transferred to a special position at the National Planning Commission.

Bikal Paudel, the executive director of Suraksha Printing Center and also implicated in the case, appeared in court and was ordered to post a bail of Rs 100,000. However, he remains in custody due to involvement in other cases.