Former defense secretary Aryal found guilty of corruption

KATHMANDU, July 1: The Supreme Court (SC) has convicted Chakrabandhu Aryal, a former secretary of the Ministry of Defense, of corruption with some reversals. Concluding an 11 year old corruption case against Aaryal, a joint bench of SC justices Saranga Subedi and Sunil Kumar Pokharel upheld the verdict of the Special Court on the case.

The SC made this decision with some deduction in the penalty amount imposed by the Special Court in Aryal’s case. However, co-spokesperson Govinda Ghimire said that it will take some time to prepare the written decision of the SC. Ghimire said that Aryal's case has been concluded.

Ghimire said, "The Supreme Court has decided that there will be some reversal in the verdict of the Special Court by deciding that the sources of agricultural income and furniture are also considered as income of Aryal.” The Special Court had not considered Aryal's income from agriculture as a legitimate source.

Former Secretary Aryal lodged an appeal at the SC on October 27, 2013 against the verdict of the Special Court. The government also filed an appeal against him stating that the imprisonment and fine assigned by the Special Court were not enough. However, the SC decided that the government’s appeal will not be accepted.

The Special Court had convicted former defense secretary Aryal in the corruption case, sentencing him to one and a half years in jail and imposing a fine of Rs 6.6 million, and an amount of compensation equivalent to the embezzled amount. The bench of the Special Court Chairman Gauri Bahadur Karki, members Om Prakash Mishra and Kedar Prasad Chalise had sentenced Aryal to one year imprisonment on the charges of corruption and six months in addition on the charge of misusing his power while holding a public position.

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) registered the corruption case against Aryal on November 26, 2003. Following that the Special Court dismissed his case on October 1, 2007. A bench of the then Special Court Chairman Bhupdwaj Adhikari had decided to dismiss the case, stating that there is no statute of limitation.

Then the CIAA filed an appeal at the apex court against the Special Court decision. Following that, a joint bench of the then justices Kalyan Shrestha and Sushila Karki reversed the verdict to dismiss the case and ordered to hear the case from the beginning. The SC reversed the case and sent it back to the Special Court.

After the order of the Supreme Court, the CIAA again registered a corruption case against Aryal in 2012 at the Special Court. Seven months after registering the case against Aryal, the Special Court declared him guilty.

Aryal joined the civil service as an officer on January 31, 2022. He retired as the Secretary of the Ministry of Defense on May 5, 1999 after being promoted. During his service, he spent 11 years as the Chief District Officer in Gulmi, Morang, Jhapa and Surkhet. He was the Director General of a civil service department. The CIAA lodged a case against Aryal at the Special Court after he was found guilty in a corruption case.

The CIAA claimed that Aryal's property worth Rs 48.8 million had been evaluated, with sources of only Rs 14.79 million disclosed. According to the CIAA's charge-sheet, Aryal is accused of illegally acquiring Rs 26.81 million, while only Rs 6.62 million of his assets were declared legal. As a result, the Special Court imposed penalties and fines.