Anti-Graft Body Files Corruption Case Against Four Over Fake Bills in Humla Municipality Purchase

Kathmandu. The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) today filed a corruption case at the Special Court in Kathmandu against four individuals, including the then acting Chief Administrative Officer, for misappropriating funds through the creation of fake bills in the name of medicine procurement in Tajakot Rural Municipality, Humla.

The Commission has filed the charge sheet against the then acting Chief Administrative Officer of the Rural Municipality, Lal Prasad Dhakal, Health Branch Chief Rajendra Syangku, Accounts Officer Birshsingh Sunar, and Krishna Kumar Bhajuwa, proprietor of Aryan Pharma based in Nepalgunj.

CIAA's investigation revealed that while procuring medicines and equipment for the Rural Municipality's health branch, they colluded to create bills for items that were never actually purchased and altered genuine bills to receive payments amounting to hundreds of thousands of rupees.

During the investigation, it was found that a bill of 1,200 rupees was altered to show a payment of 92,000 rupees. Goods worth 1,200 rupees purchased from Bagheshwori Surgical were altered to show a payment of 92,000 rupees.

 Similarly, an amount was added to a bill of 1,350 rupees from Allied Pathochem & Surgical, resulting in a payment of 101,350 rupees.

In addition to this, it was confirmed that they created fake transportation bills and submitted false bills showing the sale of different materials instead of the actual medicine. The CIAA determined that the four individuals misappropriated a total of 191,850 rupees.

CIAA Spokesperson Suresh Neupane informed that the Commission has demanded imprisonment and fines equivalent to the misappropriated amount from each of the four defendants, amounting to 191,850 rupees each, as per the Prevention of Corruption Act.