KATHMANDU, JULY 15

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority today filed a chargesheet at the Special Court against three persons, including a head constable, for their alleged involvement in bribery.

Those sued by the anti-graft body include head constable Tara Kumari Shrestha, Anish Joshi and Ram Khadka. Head constable Shrestha works at Gaushala-based Metropolitan Police Circle, while Joshi is the owner of Old Town Cafe and Pub in Chabahil. Similarly, Khadka is an assistant level employee at the Customs Office, Tribhuvan International Airport.

According to the CIAA, head constable Shrestha had received Rs 60,000 in bribe from a service-seeker through Joshi, promising to release a detainee from police custody on bail. The person was recently arrested from TIA in connection with a smuggling case and sent to custody by the Customs Office. 'One of the relatives of the detainee had offered the bribe money to Joshi,' head constable Shrestha was quoted as saying.

Upon receipt of Rs 60,000, Shrestha had provided Rs 30,000 to Khadka. The CIAA said the trio had colluded with one another to receive the bribe money from the service-seeker.

Joint Secretary Narayan Prasad Silwal, CIAA spokesperson, informed that Shrestha, Joshi and Khadka were indicted under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2002 at the court, seeking maximum punishment as provisioned by the law.

Similarly, the anti-graft body has demanded fine amounting to Rs 60,000 from Shrestha and Joshi and, Rs 30,000 from Khadka.

A version of this article appears in the print on July 16 2021, of The Himalayan Times.