Kathmandu, January 9

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), the corruption watchdog, today filed a graft case against Chandra Man Shrestha, former director general of the Department of Transport Management (DoTM), for illegally amassing assets by abusing his authority.

Filing the charge-sheet at the Special Court against Shrestha, who is currently the joint secretary at the Ministry of Forest and Environment, the CIAA has sought confiscation of Shrestha’s disproportionate income worth Rs 13.4 million.

Shrestha had amassed Rs 21 million in assets during his tenure at DoTM but spent Rs 34.5 million on different purposes, including vehicle purchase, share investment, education, land purchase and foreign trips, says a CIAA statement.

“Considering Shrestha’s legal earnings, the source of money used to acquire assets of Rs 13.4 million could not be traced. This proves he had amassed wealth illegally,” said CIAA Deputy Spokesperson Madan Koirala.

In the charge-sheet filed at the Special Court, the CIAA has said Shrestha should be fined and sent to jail as per the provisions in the Prevention of Corruption Act. The graft watchdog also sought confiscation of Shrestha’s disproportionate income worth Rs 13.4 million.

The Prevention of Corruption Act says a public servant who has acquired property in an illegal manner can be imprisoned for up to two years. The CIAA has also sought confiscation of immovable assets amassed illegally by Shrestha in the name of his wife Jamuna Tandukar and Bhagawati Yogi of Nawalparasi, whom the CIAA has made defendants in the charge-sheet.

The CIAA had initiated a probe into Shrestha after complaints were registered seeking action against him for illegally amassing assets by abusing the authority during his tenure at the DoTM.

Shrestha was appointed to the top post of the DoTM on August 4, 2015 and served till March 3, 2017.