KATHMANDU, Oct 8: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a corruption case at the Special Court against seven individuals, including two former ministers, in connection with a bribery case involving land in Pokhara’s litchi orchard.
The anti-graft body has accused former Federal Affairs and General Administration Minister Rajkumar Gupta and former Minister for Land, Management, Cooperatives, and Poverty Alleviation Ranjita Shrestha of corruption.
Gulmi village exports litchi worth Rs 1 million
Along with the two former ministers, five intermediaries including Sujan Lama who was involved in the bribery transaction have also been named as defendants in the case registered at the Special Court on Wednesday.
The CIAA has demanded a bail of Rs 7.8 million from former Minister Gupta, while separate bail amounts have been set for the other defendants based on their alleged offenses.
The case involves the alleged plan to illegally seize approximately 134 ropani of government land known as the litchi orchard in Batulechaur, Pokhara-16, with the involvement of ministers, officials, and intermediaries.
The investigation was launched after an audio recording of conversations between former Minister Gupta and intermediary Sujan Lama regarding the bribery transaction was made public. Following the controversy, Minister Gupta resigned from his post on July 15.
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