KATHMANDU, JANUARY 2

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority filed a corruption case against 10 people, including Managing Director of Krishi Samara Company Limited Netra Bahadur Bhandari and two business firms, accusing them of embezzling more than one billion rupees in the purchase of DAP fertiliser.

The two business firms that have been accused of corruption are Nepal Environmental and Scientific Services Private Limited and Joshi Biz House Private Limited.

The anti-graft body filed the case at the Special Court today. According to a press release issued by the CIAA, DAP fertiliser purchased via Contract No 89/077/078 by Krishi Samagri Company Limited was substandard.

The CIAA stated that Krishi Samagri Company Limited assigned Nepal Environmental and Scientific Services Private Limited, which had not renewed its licence, the job of verifying the quality of the fertiliser without following a competitive process.

The anti-graft body sought to recoup more than one billion rupees (Rs 1,005,322,406) from Managing Director Netra Bahadur Bhandari, Manager Bishnu Prasad Pokharel, Assistant Manager Durga Prasad Pandey, and Deputy Managing Director Deep Budha who were involved in the decision to make 90 per cent payment to the DAP supplier company.

The CIAA also sought additional punishment against MD Bhandari as he acted as the Chief of the Krishi Samara Company Ltd.

The anti-graft body also accused Managing Director of Nepal Environmental and Scientific Services Private Limited Salil Devkota, Laboratory Director Sunilbabu Khatri, and staffers Mahendra Kumar Daga, Bholanath Chaudhary, and Manoj Kumar Acharya of embezzling more than one billion rupees.

The CIAA has accused Executive Director of Joshi Biz House Private Limited Binita Joshi of embezzling more than one billion rupees.

The anti-graft body stated in its charge sheet that Joshi supplied substandard fertiliser.

A version of this article appears in the print on January 3, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.