Anti-Corruption Body Files Charge Sheet Against Government Witness Ishwori Prasad Gautam

Kathmandu. The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority has filed a charge sheet against Ishwori Prasad Gautam, who was presented as a government witness in a corruption case ongoing at the Special Court. The commission filed the case today against him after he changed his statement during his deposition in court, contradicting his earlier statement during the commission's investigation and the claims made in the charge sheet.

Ishwori Prasad Gautam was a government witness in the case of bribery and corruption involving the government of Nepal as the plaintiff and Chandra Bahadur Adhikari and others as defendants, registered under case number 081-CR-0118 at the Special Court. He had previously given a statement to the commission's investigation officer. Gautam, who was involved in the transaction where defendant Chandra Bahadur Adhikari demanded and received 5 million rupees as a bribe for arranging a loan, had cooperated with the investigation officer during the investigation.

Due to this cooperation, he was granted full exemption from punishment under Section 55 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2059, and was presented as a government witness instead of a defendant. Gautam, a resident of Triveni Rural Municipality Ward No. 7, Nawalparasi District (Bardaghat Susta East), is confirmed to have given a deposition on Jestha 23, 2083, at the Special Court, Kathmandu, which contradicted his statement during the commission's investigation and the claims made in the charge sheet.

After the government witness changed his statement in court, further investigation into the report regarding the need to investigate Gautam revealed that he was involved in the bribery transaction.

After attempting to influence the investigation by changing his statement in court, the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority has set the amount of bribe at 5 million rupees against Ishwori Prasad Gautam for the offense under Section 3, Sub-section (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2059. As directed by Section 3, Sub-section (2) of the same Act, a prison sentence has been demanded in accordance with Section 3, Sub-section (1) clause (ch) and Section 3, Sub-section (1) clause (chh) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2059 (including the first amendment).

Additionally, a demand has been made for a fine equivalent to the bribe amount under Section 3, Sub-section (1) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2059. A charge sheet was filed today at the Special Court, Kathmandu, with these demands, as informed by the commission's spokesperson Suresh Neupane.