Kathmandu, February 16

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority today filed charge-sheets against three persons at the Special Court after they were found to have submitted fake academic certificates to join government service.

Those indicted by the anti-graft body have been identified as Kuber Prasad Upadhyay, Salikram Khanal and Khetraj Baral. Upadhyay, currently working in Sajha Prakashan, a state-owned publication house, had acquired fake academic credentials, which showed he passed the examination of Madhyama level from Bihar Sanskrit Shiksha Board, India, to join Sajha Prakashan as fourth level assistant.

Khanal had submitted fake academic certificates to get job at Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal as a non-gazetted third class officer. He had also purportedly obtained fake academic credentials from Bihar Sanskrit Shiksha Board.

Baral joined teaching service by submitting fake certificates allegedly issued by Mithila Sanskrit University, Bihar. He was a temporary teacher at Shree Champadevi Primary School in Champadevi Rural Municipality, Okhaldhunga.

Joint Secretary Pradip Kumar Koirala, CIAA spokesperson said charge-sheets were filed against them, seeking maximum punishment under Sub-section (1) of Section 16 of the Prevention of Corruption Act-2002, which criminalises submission of fake certificates with the intention of securing government job. The guilty shall be liable to a jail term of up to one year and a fine not exceeding Rs 25,000 besides dismissal from service. In case of a retired employee, s/he shall not be entitled to pension.

According to the CIAA, tendency of submitting fake academic credentials, teaching license and citizenship certificate for the purpose of joining government service, getting promotion and receiving government facilities, is on the rise.

In 2018-19, it indicted 88 persons, including 27 women, who had submitted fake certificates to join government service as against 64 persons in the previous fiscal. The number was 40 in 2017-18. Schoolteachers and police personnel top the chart.

The CIAA has urged the government and authorities concerned to verify authenticity of academic credentials of the candidates applying for job to ensure that they are genuine.