Anti-Graft Body Files Corruption Case Against Engineer in Lalitpur Municipality for Illicit Asset Accumulation

Kathmandu. The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a corruption case at the Special Court against Subash Bista, a contract engineer working at Godawari Municipality in Lalitpur, on charges of acquiring illegal assets. The CIAA filed the charge sheet on Tuesday, concluding that Bista amassed disproportionate wealth by abusing his position while holding public office.

It was found that Bista accumulated unusually large assets in a short period after joining the municipality as an engineer. The CIAA investigated the period from Baisakh 1, 2076, to Shrawan 14, 2081 [Bikram Sambat dates]. A significant discrepancy was observed between his legal income and expenditures during this five-year period.

According to the investigation, Bista's total legal income was only NPR 12,774,673. This includes his salary, allowances, savings from his wife's salary, loans, and proceeds from share sales. However, during the same period, he was found to have spent and invested NPR 32,484,830.

The CIAA stated that Bista spent NPR 19,710,157 more than his legal earnings. He could not verify the source of this approximately NPR 20 million in assets. The investigation revealed that he used the illegally earned money to purchase land, construct a house, invest in the stock market, cover his son's educational expenses, invest in various companies, and repay bank loans.

The CIAA reported that he maintained an unusually high standard of living while in public service, and his declared assets did not match his actual wealth. It was also discovered that he concealed the illegally acquired assets under the name of his father, Sudarshan Bista.

The CIAA has named both Engineer Subash Bista and his father, Sudarshan Bista, as defendants, alleging the father's assistance in managing the illicit assets. The Commission has filed the case demanding the confiscation of the illicit gains and punishment as per the law.