Kathmandu, January 28:

The Special Court today rescheduled the pronouncement of verdict on the corruption case against Nepal Rastra Bank Governor Bijaya Nath Bhattarai and Executive Director Surendra Man Pradhan for February 15. This is the sixth time the case verdict has been postponed.

A three-member bench comprising judges Bhoopdhoj Adhikary, Komal Nath Sharma and Cholendra SJB Rana postponed the pronouncement of judgment following today’s hearing.

Today’s hearing involved discussion on whether a January 9 letter from the KPMG Sri Lanka verified its June 18, 2007 letter.

The verdict pronouncement was postponed today for lack of sufficient time to further proceed with the case. The bench also directed the court administration to place the case before the bench on February 15.

The KMPG Sri Lanka, in its letter to CIAA investigation officer Ranjan Krishna Aryal, has said its letter dated June 18, 2007 is authentic.

“We attached a copy of our letter dated June 18, 2007, addressed to you, duly certified by our lawyers Julius and Creasy confirming that it is a true copy of our letter,” the January 9 letter stated.

The NRB lawyers claimed that the document forwarded by the KPMG Sri Lanka does not verify the authenticity of its earlier letter as it came from ‘back door’ because it was not addressed to the court but to the CIAA investigation officer and therefore, it was ill intentioned.

The KPMG Sri Lanka had refused to furnish details to the NRB saying it would do so only if the court or the CIAA asked.