KATHMANDU: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a corruption case against 16 individuals, including former Lumbini Province Secretary Baikuntha Adhikari, over alleged irregularities in a cold storage construction project in Rupandehi.
According to the CIAA, the project was undertaken in fiscal year 2019/20 under a subsidy program for agricultural and livestock-based industries, machinery, and infrastructure development. An agreement had been signed with Bhawani Swabalamban Multipurpose Cooperative Limited for the construction of the cold storage facility in Sammarimai Rural Municipality-5, Siddhanath.
The total project cost was estimated at Rs 54.37 million, with the government bearing 75 percent (Rs 40.78 million) and the cooperative contributing 25 percent (Rs 13.59 million).
However, the investigation found that Mega Minds Architects and Structure Pvt. Ltd. prepared both the detailed project report (DPR) and cost estimation, leading to an inflated and unrealistic project valuation.
The CIAA stated that the procurement process was carried out in violation of public procurement laws, with direct contracting instead of open competition. Payments amounting to Rs 7.19 million were made based on false measurement reports and fake bills without proper verification or testing.
The anti-graft body said the cold storage facility is currently incomplete, dilapidated, and unusable for any purpose.
The CIAA has filed a charge sheet at the Special Court against all 16 accused.
Those charged include former Senior Agriculture Development Officer Shreedhar Gyawali, Agriculture Extension Officer Mukesh Ramjali Nepali, Accounts Officer Laxman Paudel, Assistant Accountant Ajay Mishra, and company operator Sugam Koirala, among others.
Also named in the case are former officials and representatives of various cooperatives, including Ashok Kumar Tiwari, Jayaram Gaderiya, Ashok Kumar Tripathi, Durgaprasad Kurmi, Jitendra Yadav, Krishna Kumar Singh, Phulman Bhar, and Om Prakash Gupta.
Legal heirs of deceased individuals have also been named in the case for recovery of embezzled amounts. Inarawati Yadav, wife of the late Shyamsundar Yadav, and Rajpati Gosai, wife of the late Katbaru Gosai, have been included as defendants for compensation purposes only.
The CIAA has sought recovery of Rs 7.19 million from the accused under the Prevention of Corruption Act, along with imprisonment and fines equivalent to the embezzled amount.
It has also demanded additional penalties for key accused under relevant provisions of the law, while no prison sentence has been sought against deceased individuals, limiting the claim to recovery of losses.
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