Special Court Orders Consolidation of Corruption Case Against Suspended Nepal Telecom MD Sunil Poudel

The Special Court has ordered that the corruption case concerning illegal asset acquisition against the suspended Managing Director of Nepal Telecom, Sunil Poudel, be placed for hearing.

A bench comprising Special Court judges Narayan Prasad Poudel and Hemanta Rawal on Tuesday ordered that Poudel's other cases related to corruption be clubbed together and scheduled for hearing.

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) had filed a case against Poudel, claiming he acquired illegal assets while holding a public office, demanding a penalty of NPR 237.546 million.

The CIAA has also ordered that other corruption-related cases filed against Sunil be heard together. The CIAA had also filed a case against Sunil's elder brother, Anil Poudel, demanding confiscation of assets.

The CIAA concluded that Poudel earned NPR 11.924 million through salary, allowances, shares, and other means while in office.

Furthermore, the CIAA noted that he spent and invested NPR 249.471 million. Based on income and expenditure, the CIAA stated that NPR 237.546324 million worth of Poudel's expenditure and assets appeared illegal.

The CIAA concluded that Poudel engaged in corruption by purchasing software and hardware for establishing the National Payment System while at the National Information Technology Center, but failing to bring it into operation.