KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court (SC) has upheld the detention order against Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) Director General Pradeep Adhikari, who was arrested on corruption charges related to the construction of the Nalinchowk heliport.
On Friday, a joint bench of Supreme Court Justices Hari Prasad Phuyal and Shantisingh Thapa upheld an earlier order of the Special Court directing that Adhikari be kept in detention for trial.
Earlier, a joint bench of Special Court Justices Hemanta Rawal, Dilli Ratna Shrestha and Bidur Koirala had ordered Adhikari’s detention. Challenging that decision, Adhikari had filed a petition at the Supreme Court.
The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a corruption case alleging financial irregularities amounting to Rs 135.746 million in the construction of the Nalinchowk heliport. According to the CIAA, the heliport was constructed without submitting a detailed study report as required by the agreement and without completing mandatory procedures.
The CIAA has named seven defendants in the case, including Adhikari. Others charged include Murari Bhandari, then Deputy Manager; Bikram Thapa, then Deputy Manager and current Manager; Sambriddhi Shrestha, then Senior Officer and current Deputy Manager; consultant Gurudatta Adhikari; Abhiyantra Consulting Pvt. Ltd.; and Bijay Thapa, then director of the company.
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