The anti-graft body said they were arrested as evidences collected so far suggest their involvement in the procurement of low-quality transformers. The substandard transformers have caused excessive power leakage and explosions.
According to a statement issued by CIAA, those arrested include Managing Director Yadav, Planning Chief Krishna Bahadur Thapa, engineer Pramod Rijal, former general manager Chiranjeevi Sharma Poudel, former managing director Dr Jivendra Jha, former managing director Tika Ram BC, Deputy Director (accounts) Krishna Bahadur KC. [break]
An 11th grade officer Dev Sharma Poudel, accounts officer Sushil Prasad Khanal and former coordinator of Electricity Development Project Mahesh Prasad Acharya are also among those arrested by the anti-graft body.
All the arrested have been detained for further investigation, CIAA Spokesperson Shridhar Prasad Sapkota said in a statement.
Earlier on August 4, the anti-graft body had arrested NEA Assistant Director Harish Bahadur Pal, assistant managers Surendra Paneru and Madan Raj Chapagain, engineer Prajwal Pandey, chief storekeeper Bharat Rupakheti and two Chinese nationals -- Hu Zheng Qiang and Zou Yi Tian of Hubei Sunlight Electric Co Ltd, China in the same case.
The anti-corruption body had made the first arrest after a three-month investigation. All the NEA officials taken into custody have been suspended from their respective positions.
A three-member probe committee formed earlier by NEA on the issue had found that around 1,275 transformers purchased from Hubei Sunlight Electric Co Ltd, China were of low quality. NEA´s tests in its lab and other labs showed that the transformers had aluminum wires instead of copper wires.
Five immigration officials in CIAA net
In a separate case, the CIAA on Tuesday arrested five immigration officials as CCTV footage showed them accepting bribe from service seekers.
The anti-graft body had raided the Department of Immigration acting on the complaints that officials demand bribe from service seekers.
Those arrested, according to the CIAA, include section officers Surya Prasad Dahal and Devarsi Sapkota, non-gazetted officers Pradip Prasad Lamichhane and Bishwa Raj Kharel and office assistant Jaya Narayan Napit. All the arrested have been kept at CIAA custody for further investigation.
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