10 Accused in Palata Rural Municipality Corruption Case

Kathmandu. The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority has filed a corruption case against the then Vice-Chairperson and acting Chief Administrative Officer of Palata Rural Municipality in Kalikot, along with 10 others. The Commission filed the charge sheet at the Special Court, Kathmandu on Wednesday, accusing them of embezzling government funds by showing inflated valuations for more work than was actually done in a road construction project in the fiscal year 2075/076. The Commission claims that irregularities occurred in the budget allocated for the Belkedhunga-Lekhanwada-Dursi-Pagoti road construction of Palata Rural Municipality. In a project with a budget of 4 million rupees, a payment of 3.8 million rupees was made to the consumer committee based on false survey books and completion reports, claiming that 1,200 cubic meters of gabion filling had been done. However, the Commission's technical team found during an on-site inspection that only 939.50 cubic meters of work had actually been completed, informed spokesperson Suresh Neupane. The Commission has determined that the government of Nepal suffered a loss of 808,680.57 rupees due to overpayment for the reduced 260.50 cubic meters of work. The Commission has demanded fines and imprisonment equivalent to the embezzled amount against the then acting Chief Administrative Officer of the Rural Municipality, Raj Bahadur Bam, Chief of Accounts Khim Lal Pun, Assistant Accountant Muni Prasad Pyakurel, and Sub-engineers Binod Kumar Bam and Nand Bahadur Singh. Similarly, a demand for punishment under the Prevention of Corruption Act has been made against the then Vice-Chairperson Dana Nyaupane and Ward Chairman of Ward No. 9, Takka Bahadur Bam, who approved the incorrect report. Likewise, a case has been filed demanding punishment equivalent to the main accused and recovery of the embezzled amount against the consumer committee's Chairperson Kumbh Bahadur Bam, Treasurer Sulakshina Bam, and Secretary Kamal Bahadur Bam.