Kathmandu, December 25

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority today filed a graft case against 13 persons, including 11 officials of District Agriculture Development Office, Dailekh, at the Special Court.

Those facing corruption charge include Narahari Prasad Ghimire (then DADO chief), Suryanath Yogi, Narendra Bahadur Thapa, Dhal Bahadur Hamal, Gaman Singh Thapa, Bhuwan Singh Thapa, Namaraj Thapa, Ram Kumar Shah, Mim Bahadur Shahi, Rag Bahadur Bapal, Purna Bahadur Thapa, Ram Prasad Sharma and Perm Bahadur Shahi.

Of them, Ram Prasad is a sub-engineer at District Development Committee and Prem Bahadur is the chairperson of Fresh Vegetable Production Group in Dailekh.

Narahari Prasad now serves as the chief of Prime Minister Agriculture Modernisation Project.

Joint Secretary Rameshwor Dangal, CIAA Spokesperson, said they had embezzled approximately Rs 9.6 million allocated by the government for distribution of seed kits to farmers in Dailekh.

“DADO officials in collusion with contractors created fake bills of agricultural inputs, which they never purchased for the purpose of distributing to farmers and received payment with malafide intention. An investigation into the corruption case shows that they misappropriated the government fund in a premeditated manner,” he informed.

The anti-graft body observed that DADO officials caused a huge loss to the state coffers not only to serve their private interest but also to sabotage the seed kit distribution campaign of the government. According to the CIAA, it indicted 12 persons in accordance with Sub-Section (1) of Section 8 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2002 and sought maximum punishment against them accordingly, while Prem Bahadur was charged under Sub-Section (4) of Section 8 of the same act.

According to Section 8 of the act, whoever, being a public servant, commits any offence with the malafide intention of getting illegal benefits for himself or herself or for any other person causing loss to the government or public institution, shall be liable to imprisonment for a term from three months to three years depending on the degree of offence, and in case the amount involving the offence is known, such amount shall be confiscated.