Supreme Court to Hear Former Minister Gupta's Plea in Lichibari Corruption Case

The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing on the petition filed by former Minister Rajkumar Gupta, who is currently in custody in connection with the Lichibari corruption case. Gupta's petition, seeking to overturn the order by the Special Court to detain him in the corruption case, is scheduled to be heard by a joint bench of Supreme Court Justices Binod Sharma and Shanti Singh Thapa.

Previously, regarding Gupta's petition, a joint bench of Justices Sapana Pradhan Malla and Nripadhwaj Niraula had ordered an inquiry into whether the petition numbered 73 from other defendants had been filed. The bench of Special Court Chairman Sudarshan Dev Bhatt and Justices Dilliratna Shrestha and Bidur Koirala had ordered Gupta to be sent to custody for pre-trial detention in the Lichibari corruption case in Pokhara.

The case was filed in the Special Court alleging that then-Minister Gupta took a bribe of 53 lakh rupees from a real estate businessman, claiming he would stop the transfer of the Chief Officer of the Land Revenue Office in Kaski and get him appointed as a member of the Land Commission.

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) had accused Minister Gupta and former Minister Ranjita Shrestha of taking a bribe of 25 lakh rupees in collusion to abuse their positions and provide favors.

Gupta had claimed in his statement to the court that the allegations against him were false and that he had not taken any bribes. However, the court, based on the evidence immediately available, determined that he could not be considered innocent.