The CIAA claimed that more than Rs 110 million was embezzled while buying tarpaulin sheets for survivors of the April 25 earthquake and its aftershocks

KATHMANDU: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) on Sunday directed the government to take departmental actions against five high officials of the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD), claiming that they facilitated embezzlement in purchase of tarpaulin sheets meant for earthquake survivors.

Likewise, the Commission filed a case at the Special Court against eight persons including three MoUD officials, director of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry and four trades, claiming they embezzled the government fund meant for earthquake survivors in the purchase.

The CIAA claimed that more than Rs 110 million was embezzled while buying tarpaulin sheets for survivors of the April 25 earthquake and its aftershocks.

The anti-corruption constitutional body accused officials and traders of buying low-quality tarpaulin sheets in a low number by violating the set rules and later mentioning excessively higher standard, volume and quantity, size and rate while producing the bills to claim the budget.

Those recommended for departmental actions include MoUD Secretary Arjun Kumar Karki ; Joint Secretary Basudev Guragain; the then Director General of the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction, Shambhu KC (who had headed the Special Procurement Committee); and member duo of the Procurement Committee - Senior Division Engineer Nilam Kumar Dangol and Account Controller Narayan Niraula.

The recommendations were made as per Section 11 of the CIAA Act, 1991, according to the CIAA.

Likewise, a case has been filed against MoUD Under-Secretary duo Homnath Bhattarai and Ramkrishna Guragain, Nayab Subba Yuvaraj Giri and the FNCCI Director Hansaram Pandey.

Four traders – Sunil Kumar Gautam of Lucky AS Enterprises, Ram Sharan Kunwar of Deep Kiran Printing and Traders, Krishna Hari Chaulagain of Mata Enterprises and Motilal Pokharel of Ajaya Shubha Traders – were made defendants in the case.