Kathmandu, January 28

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority today filed charge-sheets against four persons at the Special Court for their alleged involvement in corruption.

Two among four persons are officials from Tripureshwor-based Kathmandu district office of Guthi Sansthan. They were arrested for receiving bribe of Rs 800,000 from a service-seeker and returning it to the person concerned through a banking channel later fearing CIAA action.

According to the anti-graft body, it sued chief administrator Narayan Chaudhary and deputy administrator Jay Prasad Regmi. The duo had received bribe for maintaining the records of a Guthi land in the name of Guthi itself last month. At that time, Guthi Sansthan had been investigating the Guthi land situated in Kathmandu Metropolitan City after it was found to have been occupied by various persons.

Joint Secretary Pradip Kumar Koirala, CIAA spokesperson, said Chaudhary and Regmi were charged under Section 3 (1) of the Prevention of Corruption Act-2002 seeking the recovery of the principal amount they received as bribe and a fine equivalent thereto. If the court convicts them of corruption charge, they will also be liable to a jail sentence besides dismissal from service.

The duo was recently arrested with a bribe of Rs 40,000 they received from a service-seeker for adjusting the land records of the tenant.

During investigation, the CIAA had found that Mishra had asked Gautam to receive the bribe amount on his behalf.

They have been prosecuted under the Prevention of Corruption Act-2002, seeking maximum punishment against them.

The CIAA named Gautam as an accomplice on the ground that he received the amount for his boss despite knowing it to be a bribe.

Similarly, the CIAA filed a charge-sheet against Bishnu Hari Pudasaini at the court.

The account officer at Lalitpur-based Infrastructure Development Office of Province 3 was recently arrested with Rs 22,000 in bribe he received from a service-seeker for sanctioning mobilisation advance of a road construction contract.

In yet another anti-corruption drive, the CIAA has booked Udaya Raj Yadav for joining teaching service by submitting fake academic credentials.

He had been teaching in Sahid Memorial Secondary School as a primary level teacher. Yadav was charged under Section 16 of the act.