Anti-Corruption Body Files Case Against Officials for Embezzling NPR 29.4 Million

Kathmandu. The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority has filed a corruption case at the Special Court, Kathmandu, against employees including the member secretary and sub-accountant of the Surkhet Valley Town Development Committee, Birendranagar, for embezzling revenue amounting to two crore ninety-four lakh seventy-eight thousand six hundred eighty-one rupees.

The Commission stated in a press release issued on 2083 BS that the committee's employees embezzled the income from shop stalls and land rentals by not depositing it in the bank. The Commission stated that an investigation based on the Surkhet Valley Town Development Committee's letter and complaints confirmed that revenue was embezzled through their collusion.

During the investigation, the Commission mentioned that the embezzlement occurred through the collusion and planning of committee member secretaries Tikaram Dhakal, Narhari Tiwari, and Gehendra Bahadur Danghi, former accounting officer the late Haribahadur Chhetri, and sub-accountant Khadkabahadur Rana. They had collected revenue income of 4 crore 18 lakh 4 thousand 3 hundred 3 rupees from the rental collection receipts for the fiscal years 2076/77, 2077/78, 2078/79, 2079/80, and 2080/81.

Although it was their legal duty to deposit all the collected revenue in the committee's account, they only deposited 1 crore 23 lakh 25 thousand 6 hundred 22 rupees in the bank, the Commission stated. The charge sheet mentions that they embezzled the remaining 2 crore 94 lakh 78 thousand 6 hundred 81 rupees without depositing it in the bank.

Regarding the embezzlement, Commission spokesperson Suresh Neupane stated through a press release, 'It has been confirmed that with the intention of avoiding and escaping the said criminal act, a false income and expenditure statement showing the said amount deposited in the bank was prepared and presented to the committee meeting for approval, and decisions were made accordingly.'

Determining the act of the committee officials as an offense under Section 7(c) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2059, the Commission has filed a charge sheet at the Special Court seeking punishment against the defendants according to the same law.