KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 30
The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed cases against Mayor of Nagarjun Municipality in Kathmandu district, Mohan Bahadur Basnet, on charge of corruption and money laundering.
The CIAA filed a charge sheet at the Special Court in Kathmandu on Sunday against Mohan Bahadur Basnet, his spouse Urmila Basnet, and Raju Prasad Kandel, Proprietor of Padma Colony. The charges include corruption, fraud, and abuse of power. The CIAA has demanded a recovery of NPR 131 million and initiated legal proceedings to hold the accused accountable.
The accusations include manipulating legal documents to transfer and register land and assets fraudulently, allowing significant financial advantages for the organizations involved. Allegedly, foreign assistance amounting to Rs 748 million was approved under dubious circumstances for Jagatguru Kripalu Foundation Nepal, bypassing proper regulations. The foundation reportedly benefited from tax exemptions and received financial aid from the municipality under various topics, facilitated by improper authorization using falsified documents.
Furthermore, he has been accused of providing land to the Padma Colony Priovate Limited a land at a price that is significantly lower than the actual market value, causing a loss to the government. The charge sheet mentioned that land worth Rs 477 million was allegedly sold for only Rs 232 million to Padma Colony, with the surplus value being misappropriated by the accused parties. The discrepancy of Rs 245 million was reportedly misappropriated by Mayor Basnet and others.
The chargesheet further disclosed that illicit earnings totaling Rs 92.246 million were acquired through bribes and corrupt practices. These funds were laundered and used for settling debts, personal expenses, and third-party transactions. Raju Prasad Kandel, allegedly provided Rs 21.5 million through a bank account, land worth Rs 68 million, and Rs 2.4 million for a wedding party as bribes to Mayor Basnet, the charge sheet mentioned.
