KATHMANDU: Former chairman of the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA), Bhupendra Bhandari, has been arrested in connection with the Smart Cell scam case.
The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police arrested him from Dhapakhel, Ward No. 23 of Lalitpur Metropolitan City.
CIB spokesperson and Senior Superintendent of Police Anupam Shamsher Jabara said that Bhandari will be investigated over allegations related to the Smart Cell case. He is accused of causing financial loss to the state through the sale of Smart Cell’s assets.
Bhandari had previously served as an expert in the secretariat of former Minister for Communications and Information Technology Rekha Sharma. He assumed that role after the suspension of NTA Chairman Purushottam Khanal in connection with the Terramax corruption case.
While working in the minister’s secretariat, Bhandari was later appointed chairman of the Nepal Telecommunications Authority.
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