Former Chief Secretary Baikuntha Aryal cleared of corruption charges by Special Court

KATHMANDU: Former Chief Secretary Dr Baikuntha Aryal, who was suspended following corruption allegations, has been acquitted by the Special Court.

Aryal and ten co-defendants, including a private company, were cleared of charges, while two defendants were found guilty.

The bench of Special Court Chair Judge Tek Narayan Kunwar, member judges Khushi Prasad Tharu and Ritendra Thapa gave a verdict acquitting Aryal and others.

The verdict came after continuous hearings since October 21, with the court finding Aryal and other high-ranking officials innocent in the case. However, former Security Printing Center officials Bikal Paudel and Safal Shrestha were found guilty.

Initially dismissed by court administration, the writ petition filed by advocate Gyan Bahadur Basnet was later accepted for registration, leading to this trial. The case involves the alleged embezzlement in the Security Printing Center’s excise sticker procurement process, which also named senior officials and contractors as defendants.

In this case, along with Aryal, co-secretaries Ritesh Shakya and Tanka Pandey, deputy secretary Ganesh Bikram Shahi and branch officer Rabindra Paudel, the then accounts officer Bishnu Prasad Gautam, branch officer Hariballab Ghimire, the then consultant Shakti Prasad Shrestha, the print cell company that got the sticker printing contract and owner Keshav Sharma has been acquitted.

This marks a significant development, as it was the first time a sitting chief secretary faced corruption charges. The case initially implicated Aryal during his tenure at the Ministry of Communication, with alleged irregularities involving contractors and government officials.

The Special Court’s ruling is a landmark in Nepal’s legal history concerning anti-corruption efforts among top-ranking officials.