Kathmandu, November 17

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority today filed a charge-sheet against Chiranjeevi Thapa, jailer of Makwanpur-based Bhimphedi Prison, at the Special Court for allegedly accumulating disproportionate assets and leading a lavish life from the ill-gotten money.

The anti-graft body had launched a thorough investigation into his income sources after it received a complaint from a service-seeker.

Thapa had joined civil service as a non-gazetted second class officer on 17 May 1988. An investigation by the CIAA showed that Thapa had failed to disclose and establish the source of disproportionate assets equivalent to around Rs 11.3 million out of the cash and property he earned until fiscal 2018-19 as a government official, said Joint Secretary Pradip Kumar Koirala, the CIAA spokesperson.

The amount in question included his salary, allowance, and sale of shares and land.

According to the CIAA, he and his wife Goma Kattel Thapa had spent or invested money more than he earned from legitimate sources during the period. The disproportionate amount was invested in land, house, vehicle, shares, study of children and banks and financial institution.

Spokesperson Koirala claimed that Thapa had earned around Rs 11.3 million illegally as he could not establish its sources. The anti-graft body has also listed Thapa’s wife as a defendant in the charge-sheet filed under the Prevention of Corruption Act for the purpose of recovery of the amount in question.

The CIAA has sought a fine equivalent to the disproportionate money and jail sentence as per Section 29 and 47 of the act. Thapa has been suspended from service after filing of the charge-sheet by the anti-graft body.