Corruption Case Hearing Against Former Nepal Telecom MD Postponed

The hearing in the corruption case against 18 individuals, including the former Managing Director of Nepal Telecommunications Company Limited, Sunil Paudel, has been postponed. The hearing scheduled before the bench of Special Court Chairman Sudarshan Dev Bhatta and Judge Dilliratna Shrestha was deferred at the request of the defense lawyers.

Former Managing Director Paudel and others from Nepal Telecommunications Company Limited are accused of corruption through collusion in the upgrade of Nepal Telecom's billing system. A claim for compensation amounting to 33 crore rupees has been filed against them.

On Poush 6, 2068 BS, former Managing Director Paudel and others signed an agreement with the Chinese company AsiaInfo Linkage Technology for the Convergent Real-Time Billing and Customer Support (CRTBCS) billing system.

The objective was to integrate telecommunication services operating on various platforms, such as GSM mobile, fiber, internet, leased line, wireline, wireless broadband, etc., onto a single platform, calculate and update charges in real-time through real-time billing. The purchase agreement stipulated that service could be provided for up to 6 years under the Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC), and the payment for the Annual Maintenance and Support (AMAC) fee was to be made at a decreasing rate of 5 percent annually.