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

Kathmandu. The hearing for the petition filed by former Minister Rajkumar Gupta, currently in custody regarding the Lichhibari corruption case, has been scheduled. The hearing is set before a joint bench of Supreme Court Justices Kumar Regmi and Sunil Kumar Pokharel.

Gupta had filed the petition seeking to overturn the order issued by the Special Court to detain him in connection with the Lichhibari land corruption case. Previously, regarding Gupta's petition, a joint bench of Justices Sapana Pradhan Malla and Nripadhwaj Niroula had ordered to ascertain whether petition number 73 concerning other defendants had been filed.

In the Lichhibari corruption case in Pokhara, the bench comprising Special Court Chairman Sudarshan Dev Bhatta and Justices Dilli Ratna Shrestha and Bidur Koirala had ordered the detention for further proceedings. The Special Court filed a corruption case against then-Minister Gupta, alleging that evidence was found showing he took a bribe of 5.3 million rupees from a real estate businessman, promising to halt the transfer of the Chief Officer of the Land Revenue Office in Kaski and to make him 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 2.5 million rupees through mutual collusion to misuse their positions and provide official favors.

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