KATHMANDU: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a corruption case against 10 individuals, including the former chairperson of Chakraghatta Rural Municipality in Sarlahi, at the Special Court.
The charges pertain to irregularities in the procurement and installation of solar street lights in the rural municipality during the fiscal year 2078/79.
The government had allocated a budget of Rs 20.16 million for the installation of solar lights across Wards 1 to 9. However, the CIAA found that five separate procurement packages were deliberately created to manipulate the purchase and installation of equipment—including poles, solar panels, lights, wires, batteries, and charge controllers—beyond the intended scope and budget.
An inflated estimate of Rs 25.317 million was approved, exceeding the allocated budget, and a tender was announced. The bidding process saw limited competition, involving only three firms. The rural municipality ultimately paid Rs 24.94 million to various suppliers.
The CIAA has demanded a compensation of Rs 24.94 million from the then chairperson Bikram Yadav and the acting chief administrative officer Lalbabu Prasad Sah.
The same amount has also been claimed from accountant Sanjay Kumar Thakur, commodity branch chief Ramkailash Ray Yadav, and sub-engineers Santosh Ray and Raju Ray.
Additionally, the commission is seeking Rs 4.749 million in compensation from accounting officer Shivshankar Prasad Kushwaha and Rs 5.839 million from Jayaprakash Yadav, operator of Sky Rise Trading Concern, Malangwa. Ranju Kumari Sah, owner of SK Stores, faces a claim of Rs 9.52 million, while Sangita Kumari, proprietor of Geo Technical and Infrastructure Solutions, is being pursued for Rs 9.57 million.
The details were made public by the CIAA’s assistant spokesperson, Devi Prasad Thapaliya.
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