KATHMANDU: The Special Court has ordered the release on bail of former officials of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, Pradeep Adhikari and Murari Bhandari, in the Pokhara Regional International Airport corruption case, which involves allegations of causing a financial loss to the state by providing unlawful benefits.
A bench of the Special Court (Bench No. 1), chaired by Sudarshan Dev Bhatt and member Dilli Ratna Shrestha, issued the order on Tuesday after recording the statements of the defendants and reviewing case documents. The court noted that the allegations raised were of a serious nature.
The order was issued under Section 8 of the Corruption Prevention Act, 2059.
Government prosecutors, on behalf of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), argued that the defendants unlawfully increased the airport project cost by USD 7.43 million (approximately Rs 8.36 billion) beyond the approved estimate and made payments through collusion.
The CIAA had sought to keep both defendants in custody for further investigation, claiming they were jointly responsible.
However, defense lawyers argued that the project was implemented under the EPC model with concessional financing from China and in accordance with FIDIC guidelines, and therefore Nepal’s Public Procurement Act did not apply. They also argued that the defendants did not play a decisive role in the disputed cost increase and that the project was completed within the stipulated time, requesting release on normal court attendance.
The court concluded that, as the project was multi-year, involved multiple layers of decision-makers, and the defendants held responsibility only for limited periods, there were insufficient grounds at this stage to remand them in custody.
Accordingly, the court ordered Pradeep Adhikari to be released on bail of Rs 500,000, and Murari Bhandari to be released on bail of Rs 100,000, or to submit bank guarantees of equivalent amounts, and to face trial while remaining free.
The order states that failure to deposit the required bail will result in the issuance of a detention warrant and imprisonment.
However, since Adhikari has already been jailed in connection with the Nalinchok helipad case in Bhaktapur, he will not be released immediately.
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