Anti-Graft Body Files Corruption Case Against Witness Who Recanted Testimony

Kathmandu. The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) today filed a corruption case at the Special Court against Tank Bahadur Gharti, who was presented as a government witness.

Gharti was made a government witness in a bribery case involving Senior Accounts Officer Tank Bahadur Karki. The CIAA filed a case against Gharti himself after he changed his previous statement upon appearing in court.

Gharti, a resident of Birendranagar Municipality Ward No. 10, Surkhet, is the proprietor of 'Deutibajyai Construction'. Investigation revealed that he had given a bribe of NPR 100,000 to Accounts Officer Karki to facilitate the final bill payment process for a road upgrading project in Dullu Municipality, Dailekh.

Initially, Gharti was granted a full exemption from punishment under the Prevention of Corruption Act and presented only as a government witness, citing his cooperation during the investigation.

However, after Gharti gave testimony on Baisakh 22 at the Special Court that contradicted his statement given to the Commission and the collected evidence, a reinvestigation was initiated against him.

Spokesperson Suresh Neupane informed that after it was confirmed that he retracted his statement to try and save the accused, the CIAA named him as a defendant and filed the charge sheet demanding a principal amount of NPR 100,000, imprisonment, and a fine.