Special Court Orders Retrieval of Former Nepal Telecom MD Sunil Poudel's Singapore Bank Account Details

Kathmandu. The Special Court has ordered the retrieval of bank account details from Singapore belonging to former Nepal Telecom Managing Director Sunil Poudel.

The bench comprising Special Court Chairman Sudarshan Dev Bhatta and Judges Hemanta Rawal and Dilliratna Shrestha on Tuesday ordered the retrieval of the account details in connection with the case concerning illegal assets against Poudel, who is currently incarcerated in a corruption case.

Previously, although details were requested through the Ministry of Law, the government could not retrieve them due to the lack of a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with the Government of Singapore. Furthermore, the court has ordered that the details of the funds held in that bank be obtained as soon as possible through coordination and cooperation with the central bank of Singapore via the Nepal Rastra Bank.

On Baisakh 9, 2081, the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) filed a case against Poudel, claiming illegal assets acquired while in public office, demanding a penalty of NPR 23 crore 75 lakh 46 thousand.

The CIAA also filed a case seeking confiscation of assets against Sunil's elder brother, Anil Poudel.

The CIAA concluded that Poudel earned NPR 1 crore 19 lakh 24 thousand 8 hundred 46 from salary, allowances, shares, and other sources while in office. The CIAA noted that he spent and invested NPR 24 crore 94 lakh 71 thousand 171.

Based on income and expenditure, the CIAA stated that NPR 23 crore 75 lakh 46 thousand 3 hundred 24 worth of Poudel's expenditure and assets appeared illegal.