Former Tourism Department Director General Acquitted in Corruption Case

Kathmandu. Sachindra Kumar Yadav, the former director of the Department of Tourism, has been acquitted in a corruption case. The bench comprising Special Court Chairman Sudarshan Dev Bhatta and members Hemanta Rawal and Umesh Koirala on Sunday ruled to acquit Yadav in the corruption case related to the acquisition of illegal assets.

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) had filed a corruption case against Yadav on charges of acquiring illegal assets. The CIAA filed the corruption case on August 15 (Shrawan 29) last year, stating that Yadav could not confirm the source of expenditures and investments amounting to NPR 9.685 million more than his income.

According to the CIAA's charge sheet, it was revealed that he earned more than NPR 26.818 million during his tenure from Jestha 24, 2066, to Shrawan 29, 2079.

This income included remuneration, travel allowance, life insurance, amounts received as a liaison officer for mountain climbing, consulting services, house rent, meeting allowance, Employees Provident Fund, bank loans, agricultural income, land sales, and income from bank interest and share sales.

However, the charge sheet mentioned that during the same period, he was found to have spent and invested more than NPR 36.540 million on titles such as purchasing and constructing real estate, repaying bank loans, purchasing shares, educational expenses, life insurance premiums, and bank balances.

Since the source of approximately NPR 9.685 million in expenditures and investments could not be verified, the corruption case was filed alleging that Yadav acquired illegal assets by abusing his official position.