KATHMANDU: The Special Court has ordered the release of former Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), Pradeep Adhikari, on bail in a corruption case related to tax exemptions granted to the contractor of Pokhara International Airport.
A bench comprising Special Court Chair Basudev Acharya and members Hemanta Rawal and Bidur Koirala on Tuesday ordered Adhikari’s release upon posting bail of Rs 300,000 in the case filed by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA).
The CIAA has accused Adhikari of abusing his authority by granting customs and tax exemptions to the airport’s contractor despite the construction agreement requiring the company to bear those costs.
However, Adhikari will remain in judicial custody despite securing bail in this case, as he has already been remanded in separate corruption cases, including one related to the construction of a helipad in Nalinchok, Bhaktapur. He is currently being held at Dillibazar Prison.
Earlier this year, the CIAA filed a corruption case against 14 individuals, including former Finance Minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, over alleged irregularities involving the Pokhara International Airport project.
The anti-graft body has sought the recovery of Rs 3.62 billion from Karki, Adhikari and other senior officials, alleging that they unlawfully granted revenue exemptions in violation of the contract signed for the Chinese-funded airport project.
The Special Court has already granted relief to other defendants facing charges in the same revenue exemption case.
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