KATHMANDU: The Special Court has ordered the release of former Tourism Secretary Maheshwor Neupane on bail of Rs 450,000 in a corruption case related to tax exemptions granted during the construction of Pokhara International Airport.
The order was issued on Wednesday by a bench comprising Special Court Chair Basudev Acharya and members Umesh Koirala and Bidur Koirala.
The case stems from a corruption investigation by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), which alleges that officials unlawfully granted customs and tax exemptions to the airport’s contractor in violation of the construction agreement.
The CIAA filed the case in April against several government officials, the Chinese contractor CAMC Engineering Co. Ltd., and its executives over alleged irregularities in the airport project.
According to the anti-graft body, the defendants caused losses to the state by granting revenue exemptions that were not permitted under the terms of the contract.
The CIAA has sought the recovery of Rs 3.62 billion from the accused in connection with the alleged corruption.
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