Kathmandu, February 11

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority received a total of 24,691 complaints, out of which 9,565 complaints were carried forward from the previous fiscal, whereas 15,116 new complaints were registered in the fiscal 2016/17.

The fiscal 2016/17 saw a decrease of 6,522 complaints in comparison to complaints registered in the previous fiscal. The CIAA recorded as many as 31,213 complaints in fiscal 2015/16 against 24,691 in fiscal 2016/17.

On sector-wise distribution of complaints registered at the CIAA in the fiscal 2016/17, the highest 5,671 complaints (about 23 per cent) were related to the education sector, said the recently published 26th annual report of the anti-graft body.

Following education sector, there were 3,559 complaints (14.8 per cent) related to the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development, 1,582 complaints (6.4 per cent) related to the Ministry of Land Reform and Management and 1,242 (5.03 per cent) complaints related to the Ministry of Health.

Likewise, 1,189 complaints (4.8 per cent) were related to the Ministry of Home Affairs whereas the number of complaints relating to the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation stood at 1,062 (4.3 per cent).

Besides, 2,169 complaints (8.9 per cent) were received in connection with property valuations and special investigations and 2,592 (10.6 per cent) on fake academic certificates in 2016/17 compared to 4,018 (about 13 per cent) and 3,465 (about 11 per cent) respectively in the last last fiscal. The statistics of the past four fiscals show that there were no material difference in the sectors that draw maximum number of complaints, says the CIAA.

According to the report, as many as 16,694 out of 24,691 complaints have been resolved in the fiscal 2016/17. Of the resolved complaints, a decision to conduct detailed investigation has been made on 5,428 (2.6 per cent) complaints whereas 10,606 (63.5 per cent) complaints are pending. Likewise, 5,660 (33.9 per cent) complaints have been processed by applying other multiple provisions.

The ratio of complaints registration to settlement is 1:068, said the report. In view of the complaints resolved, overall performance achievement of the anti-graft body in 2016/17 is about 60 per cent compared to around 70 per cent in the last fiscal.

In the cases decided by the CIAA in fiscal 2016/17, a total of Rs 1,334,002,710.40 was claimed from the defendants against 1,394,016,071 in 2015/16.

As many as 144 cases related to financial crime were filed against 310 persons at the Special Court. Gender-wise, 285 defendants were male whereas 25 defendants were female.