KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 2

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority today filed corruption case against nine individuals, including Secretary of Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies Madhu Kumar Marasini, accusing them of embezzling Rs 232,758,077 million.

Other defendants include Chair of National Information Technology Centre Sanjay Sharma, then executive director of NITC Pranita Upadhyay, managing director of Nepal Telecom Sunil Paudel, then assistant director of NITC Ramesh Prasad Pokharel, then accounts officers of NITC Ram Bahadur Budha and Nim Bahadur Oli, computer engineer of NITC Ram Sharan Gayak and deputy director of NITC Safal Shreshta.

The CIAA accused defendants Sanjay Sharma, Pranita Upadhyay, Sunil Paudel, Ram Bahadur Budha, Ramesh Pokharel, Ram Sharan Gayak and Madhu Kumar Marasini of embezzling Rs 232,758,077.

The anti-graft body accused other defendants Safal Shrestha of embezzling Rs 1,799,700.00 by endorsing payment of the same amount. Oli has been accused of endorsing payment of Rs 8977397.00. The CIAA has sought to recoup the embezzled amount besides the fines equal to embezzled amount. If convicted, the defendants will also face jail term.

The CIAA stated in its charge sheet that the NITC had not demanded budget for installation of e-payment gateway software. According to chargesheet, Madhu Kumar Marasini who was the chief of budget and programme bureau of the finance ministry colluded with other defendants and got Rs 250 million budget for national payment gateway project incorporated in the fiscal budget 2017-18 without following due process. The CIAA stated that the defendants violated the Procurement Act and Procurement Regulations' provision by not making master plan for any procurement exceeding Rs 100 million. A payment of Rs 242,700,000.00 was made in the last month of the 2017-18 fiscal year.

The system was procured six years ago without ensuring the required infrastructure for the same and the system has not been in use.

Auditor General's annual report 57, 58, 59 and 60th had raised questions about the project.

The CIAA accused the defendants of not fulfilling the required procedure before signing the agreement with service providers such as study before procurement, identification of stakeholders, approval of estimated cost, preparation of masterplan, required infrastructure for interconnecting NPG and coordination with banks.

Decision to seek international expression of interest was taken by Sanjay Sharma on 25 January 2018.

On 3 July 2018, the NITC signed agreement with CMA Small System AB, Sweden as the vendor for the project.

A version of this article appears in the print on October 3, 2023, of The Himalayan Times