Special Court Acquits All Defendants in Pipalkanda-Melgouri Road Construction Corruption Case

Kathmandu. The Special Court has acquitted all the defendants in the case alleging corruption in the construction of the Pipalkanda-Melgouri road section. The verdict was delivered by the bench comprising Chairman Sudarshan Dev Bhatta and members Dilliratna Shrestha and Umesh Koirala.

Those acquitted include Durgabahadur Oli, Dalbahadur Oli, Mahendra Sharma, Shantibahadur Basnet, and Malika Basnet Construction Service. The case was filed alleging that more payment was made than the actual work done in the construction of the road under the Bafikot Rural Municipality.

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) had claimed that corruption amounting to 2,163,865 rupees and 44 paisa occurred, alleging that payment was made for 3700 meters of road when its actual length was only 2900 meters. However, the verdict mentions that during the on-site technical measurement conducted through the District Court as per the order of the Special Court, the actual length of the road was confirmed to be 3700 meters.

Furthermore, the court stated that the width of the road ranged from 3.8 meters to 7.4 meters and that the work was found to be done according to the survey book. Based on the facts mentioned in the on-site memorandum and the technical report, the court concluded that the allegation of 'receiving payment based on overvaluation' could not be objectively proven.

The estimated total cost of this road project was 11,982,793 rupees and 37 paisa, while the contract with Malika Basnet Construction Service was signed for 7,744,570 rupees and 52 paisa.