Kathmandu, January 13

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority today decided to penalise Rs 5000 each on 24,376 public officials who failed to submit their properties details or missed the given deadline for the same as per the law, according to CIAA spokesperson Krishna Hari Pushkar.

READ ALSO

• Ex-Fin Min Mahat, 37 MPs among public office holders failing to submit property details after end of fiscal year

Those to face action include former ministers, Parliament members, government staffers, teachers of government schools and universities, members of security bodies, including Nepali Army and Nepal Police.

The CIAA will begin taking action against the law breakers as per the report prepared by the National Vigilance Centre three days ago.

As per the report 22,860 public officials did not submit their property details while 1,516 submitted after the given time expired.

Instead of charging fine, the CIAA will provide one month time to provide the property details to those who failed to furnish the details.

The CIAA can begin action under the provision related to amassing of disproportionate property if they again fail to furnish details within the one month that is to be given.

Four incumbent ministers Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Eknath Dhakal, State Minister for Federal Affairs and Local Development Kunti Kumari Shahi, Assistant Minister for Land Reform and Management Dinesh Shrestha and Assistant Minister for Federal Affairs and Local Development Biraj Bista will also face CIAA action as they have failed to furnish their property details after they became members of Parliament, according to a report prepared by the National Vigilance Centre.

Former finance minister Ram Sharan Mahat also failed to submit his property details. Former minister for Energy Radha Gyanwali and former minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare Nilam KC will also be fined as they submitted their property details after the submission deadline expired.

Likewise, 37 members of Parliament, including Federal Socialist Forum Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav, Sadbhawana Party lawmaker Laxman Lal Karna failed to submit their property details, while 15 other lawmakers missed the deadline, according to NVC.

Only 336,731 out of 361,107 persons holding public office have furnished their property details in the fiscal year 2014/15, according to NVC.

As per the Prevention of Corruption Act-2002, any person who joins public office is, within 60 days from the date of joining such office and thereafter within 60 days from the date of completion of each fiscal year, required to submit the updated statement of property in his/her or his/her family members’ name along with sources or evidence thereof to the body prescribed by the government.

The concerned body or authority may extend the deadline for submission of such details for a maximum of 30 days.

If the person assuming public office does not submit the statement of property within the time-limit extended, he/she will be liable to a fine of Rs 5,000 and the concerned body or official may launch investigation into the property in his/her and his/her family members’ names.