Om Bikram Rana pension dispute: SC issues show cause order

Kathmandu: The Supreme Court has issued a show cause order in response to a writ filed by former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Om Bikram Rana concerning the 'Sudan Scam' case. The order, issued by a single bench presided over by Justice Binod Sharma, directs the respondents to provide written reasons for the suspension of Rana's pension.

Despite being convicted in the corruption case, Rana, who has been receiving a pension, filed a writ petition with the Supreme Court on August 1 after the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) suspended his pension following their notification to the pension office.

The Supreme Court had delivered its verdict on the 'Sudan Scam' case on 30th April, 2017. The verdict, pronounced by the joint bench of then-Chief Justice Sushila Karki and Judge Bishwambhar Prasad Shrestha, found Rana and several other officials guilty. The Special Court's decision to impose a two-year imprisonment was upheld by the Supreme Court, but the fine was reduced to NPR 50,000.

The CIAA had filed a corruption case in a special court against 36 individuals, including three former IGPs and various contractors, alleging corruption involving NPR 281 million. The Supreme Court convicted the three former IGPs, Nepali contractor Shambhu Bharti, and several foreign suppliers.

Rana served as Inspector General of Police from August 2006 until his retirement in October 2008. According to records from the Pension Management Office, Rana's pension at the time of retirement was NPR 16,540, which has since increased to NPR 49,068 per month as of now.