CIAA files case against 9 persons on charge of multi-million embezzlement on security printing press purchase

Kathmandu: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a case against nine persons for their alleged involvement in misappropriation in the procurement of a security printing press.

The CIAA lodged a case at the Special Court today against Executive Director of Security Printing Centre Bikal Poudel and eight others, CIAA Spokesperson Bhola Dahal said.

The anti-graft body lodged the case demanding Rs 690 million in compensation from the alleged. The others facing charge-sheet include the Managing Director of Engineering Marketing Concerns Pvt. Ltd.

Rohit Man Pradhan, Director of Meptech Building Services Pvt, Ltd.  Bhuwan Maharjan, and Managing Director of consulting firm Vastushilpa Associates Mitralal Guraun. It is stated that Rs 234.4 million has been sought from Pradhan, Rs 435.7 million from Maharjan and Rs 869,097 from Guraun.

The CIAA has filed the case against Nabin Kumar Pokharel of the Ministry of Forest and Environment, who was a representative from the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology to the Centre.

The CIAA has claimed Rs 494.6 million from Pokharel. Likewise, Assistant Director and then representative of Centre Ramesh Prasad Pokharel, who is currently working at the National Information Technology Centre, is also made a defendant seeking Rs 203.8 million in compensation for his alleged involvement in the misappropriation.

Furthermore, Section Officer Manikman Maharjan of the National Inclusive Commission, who worked in the Centre, has been made a defendant in the case seeking Rs 34.4 million in compensation. According to the CIAA, retired Account Officer Ram Bahadur Budha has also faced the charge of embezzlement of Rs 198.8 million.

Shirish Upadhyay, a Section Officer at District Coordination Committee Kathmandu, who worked at the Centre then, has faced a charge sheet from the CIAA claiming Rs 400 million.

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