Corruption charges filed against former Secretary Namrata Singh and Seven others

KATHMANDU: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed corruption charges against Dr Namrata Singh, the former secretary of the Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture, and Cooperatives of Madhesh Province, along with seven other individuals.

The CIAA registered the case at the Special Court on Monday, seeking a recovery of Rs. 10 million as damages, according to spokesperson Narahari Ghimire.

Those charged alongside Dr Singh include Shankar Prasad Sah (former senior agricultural economist and chief of the Agriculture Knowledge Center, Dhanusha), Amar Chandra Mandal (agricultural extension officer), Brajesh Kumar Sah (assistant accountant), Laxmi Narayan Yadav (chairperson of Yuvarani Fisheries and Agricultural Farm), Dr Ranjit Kumar Adhikari (former veterinarian), Abinash Kumar Jha (agricultural extension officer), and Vikas Kumar Sah (former agricultural economist at the Agriculture Development Directorate, Dhanusha).

The case revolves around allegations of financial irregularities in a grant-based program for agriculture, livestock, and fisheries development.

The program, operated by the ministry, involved an agreement signed on April 12, 2023, between the ministry and Yuvarani Fisheries and Agricultural Farm Pvt. Ltd., based in Aurahi Municipality-3.

According to the agreement, the grant recipient was required to provide a bank guarantee equivalent to Rs. 14.78 million before the procurement process could proceed.

However, the CIAA claims that the specifications and cost estimates submitted by the recipient were approved without proper verification or cross-checking.

Additionally, the ministry allegedly proceeded with the agreement even though the bank guarantee of Rs. 1.13 million presented by the recipient was incomplete and later found to be fraudulent.

The CIAA further alleges that an invoice worth Rs. 22.64 million for the procurement of materials was submitted with inconsistencies, including an abnormally low value-added tax (VAT) amount.

Field inspection reports submitted by Shankar Prasad Sah and others stated that machinery for feed production was being installed at the farm.

However, the CIAA claims the equipment was not verifiable during the inspection.

The CIAA has accused the involved parties of negligence and collusion, resulting in financial irregularities and misuse of government funds.

The investigation is ongoing, and the court will decide on further actions.