KATHMANDU: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a corruption case at the Special Court in Kathmandu against former senior divisional engineer of the Department of Archaeology Purna Bahadur Shrestha and another individual.
The case was registered on Tuesday over alleged irregularities and bribery in a public procurement process carried out through a construction service operator and joint venture (JV) company.
According to CIAA spokesperson Suresh Neupane, the charge sheet has already been registered at the Special Court.
Investigations revealed that in a contract worth over Rs 642.1 million, engineer Shrestha allegedly received around Rs 42.27 million in bribes in exchange for facilitating the procurement process.
The commission stated that the bribe amounts were deposited into the bank account of assistant guide Deukala Adhikari in multiple transactions over different periods.
The CIAA further found that the illicit funds were used to purchase land, gold, and other assets, along with financial transactions intended to conceal the illegal source of income.
Based on these findings, both individuals have been charged under the Corruption Prevention Act and the Money Laundering Prevention Act.
The anti-graft body has sought imprisonment, fines, and confiscation of assets against the accused.
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