CIAA Files Charges Against Government Witness for Turning Hostile in Bribery Case

Kathmandu. The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a charge sheet at the Special Court against Rajman Tamang, who was previously a government witness in a bribery case involving Chandra Bahadur Adhikari, the former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Nepal Bank Limited.

Tamang, the proprietor of Himal Terai Construction, had initially received a full pardon for his cooperation during the investigation. However, he was charged after he retracted his statement (turned hostile) upon appearing in court.

It was alleged that Chairman Adhikari, through Ramesh Acharya, accepted a bribe of 500,000 rupees from Tamang to facilitate a loan from Nepal Bank, and the check for the said amount was recovered from Adhikari's residence.

During the investigation, Tamang admitted to paying the bribe and cooperated with the commission, leading to his exemption from punishment under Section 55 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2059, and his designation as a government witness.

However, while testifying at the Special Court, Tamang provided a statement that contradicted his earlier testimony and the evidence collected by the commission, prompting the CIAA to name him as a defendant once again.

CIAA spokesperson Suresh Neupane stated that the commission filed the case on Friday, seeking imprisonment and fines based on a claim of 500,000 rupees, concluding that Tamang had paid the bribe for illegal benefits and subsequently attempted to conceal the corruption by providing false testimony in court.