JUMLA, June 17: The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has lodged a case of corruption against 16 officials including then Officiating Chief of the Land Revenue Office (LRO) in Jumla district after they were found to have worked in cahoot with middlemen to illegally transfer ownership of public property in Jumla in the name of individuals.

The anti-graft body filed the case at the Special Court accusing then officiating Chief Govinda Prasad Neupane and 15 other officials of taking a bribe to tamper with property registration papers of the land owned by the government and to later transfer in the name of individuals. The 93,000 square meter-land owned by Guthichaur Bhedabakhra Farm at Guthichaur in the district had sketches and map and field book. The original file relating to the land was destroyed during the insurgency but the alleged officials managed to fudge the papers and took the Chief Technical Officer at the Farm under the influence of bribe.

The Commission has accused that Neupane had embezzled fund worth Rs 4.5 million while cases have been registered against Bijaya Sharma Neupane and Yamuna Kumar Shrestha of the Farm have been charged with financial irregularities worth Rs 4.5 million each. Similarly, Harihar Neupane has been accused of embezzling fund worth Rs 225,000 while Munish Chandra Neupane, Maya Lal Neupane, Bishnu Rishi Neupane, Bishnu Lal Neupane, Nawa Rishi Neupane and Kabidutta Neupane have been charged with financial irregularities worth Rs 300,000 each. Likewise, CIAA has accused Bishnu Neupane for embezzling Rs 497,000, Devendra Prasad Neupane for Rs 199,000, Janaki Dutta Neupane for Rs 30,000, Goma Neupane for Rs 527,000 and Keshav Raj Neupane for Rs 225,000.

According to the Spokesperson of CIAA, Pradeep Kumar Koirala, the anti-graft body has demanded imprisonment and recovery of the lost amount against those, directly and indirectly, involved in this case.

 
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