CIAA lodges appeal at SC against former NOC executive director Gopal Khadka

Published On: March 17, 2024 05:35 PM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

KATHMANDU, March 17: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has lodged an appeal with the Supreme Court (SC) asserting that the then executive director of Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC), Gopal Khadka, had received insufficient punishment.

The CIAA has appealed to the SC, challenging the verdict of the Special Court, claiming that the punishment and fine imposed on Khadka were not as per their demands. On June 30, 2023, the Special Court sentenced Khadka to 15 months in prison along with a fine of Rs 90.19 million for illegal accumulation of wealth.

In its appeal filed on January 2, 2019, the CIAA had accused Khadka of amassing Rs 186.67 million unlawfully and had requested the seizure of the amount, as well as two years of imprisonment. According to CIAA sources, the appeal has been lodged with the SC on the grounds that the punishment handed down was only about half of what was demanded, falling short of their expectations.

The CIAA had charged Khadka with concealing assets under the names of Sharmila Khadka and Ankita Lama. The Special Court made a partial ruling, ordering the confiscation of three plots of land registered in their names as compensation.

The CIAA has filed an appeal against Khadka and Lama and said that Khadka should be punished according to their demands.

During its investigation, the CIAA found that Khadka possessed assets worth Rs 273.75 million, of which only Rs 86.47 million could be accounted for as legitimate income. It was alleged that he had accrued Rs 74.4 million within just six months of assuming the position of Executive Director of NOC.The CIAA's investigation further revealed that Khadka had constructed and acquired three additional houses, apart from his ancestral property. He had made partial payments for the acquisition of two houses and had purchased eleven plots of land at various locations.

According to the charge-sheet, Khadka had invested Rs 116.1 million solely in real estate and had saved Rs 27.1 million across 55 different banks, cooperatives, and other financial institutions.

The CIAA is continuing its investigation into the land acquisition case that occurred during Khadka's tenure as executive director of NOC.