KATHMANDU: Bhim Prasad Acharya, who was preparing to contest for the post of vice-chairperson at the 11th General Convention of CPN-UML starting from Mangsir 27, has been named as a main defendant in the Pokhara International Airport corruption case.
The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) filed a case on Sunday at the Special Court against Acharya and other former ministers and officials, concluding that he had a key role in corruption during the construction of the Pokhara Regional International Airport.
Following the filing of the charge sheet, Acharya’s prospects of contesting for the vice-chair post have significantly weakened. As the case is a state-initiated criminal case, he could also face suspension from the party. Previously, UML Secretary Top Bahadur Rayamajhi was suspended after being charged in the fake Bhutanese refugee case.
Acharya was preparing to run for vice-chair from the panel of Chair KP Sharma Oli. He is a former Chief Minister of Koshi Province and had won the 2079 election from Sunsari Constituency No. 3.
According to the CIAA, while serving as Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation and Chairperson of the Board of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (Poush–Falgun 2070 BS), Acharya played a decisive role in awarding the contract to the Chinese company China CAMC Engineering Company Limited at an inflated price, in direct violation of the Public Procurement Act.
He allegedly misinterpreted the Cabinet decision dated Mansir 11, 2070, which required the project to remain within the approved cost of USD 169.697 million, and instead instructed that the cost be increased to USD 215.965 million (excluding VAT).
On Poush 23, 2070, he reportedly issued a ministerial-level decision and sent a letter instructing the authority to “continue the project,” which the CIAA has termed an unlawful directive.
On Poush 24, 2070, in his capacity as chair of the Civil Aviation Authority board, he led the 287th meeting. He facilitated a decision authorizing the Director General to proceed with actions that finalized the cost escalation.
He is accused of playing a decisive role in the process of awarding the contract to a Chinese company that had been declared technically and financially unqualified.
According to the CIAA, these decisions caused an illegal loss of USD 74.34 million (approximately Rs 8.37 billion) to the state.
The CIAA has sought imprisonment and fines equal to the claimed damage amount against Acharya and 54 other defendants under Section 8(1) of the Corruption Prevention Act, 2059.
Acharya has previously described the case as “political retaliation” and claimed that he only implemented Cabinet decisions made in 2070.
The case has already been registered at the Special Court. The Pokhara Airport case is considered one of the largest corruption cases in Nepal in the past decade.
Comment