66.64pc corruption cases settled: CIAA

Kathmandu, July 21

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority said it received as many as 24,890 complaints on corruption and financial irregularities in the fiscal 2019-2020 compared to 24,085 in the previous fiscal.

According to a brief report released by the anti-graft body, it had adopted preventive, promotional and punitive measures for corruption control in the country. Of the total 24,890 complaints received in 2019-20, the CIAA settled 19,586 complaints and the success rate was 66.64 per cent. “We have decided to carry out a detailed and comprehensive investigation into 1,114 complaints after classification and preliminary inquiry of all complaints registered during the fiscal 2019-20,” read the report. In 2018-19, the total number of complaints sorted out for comprehensive inquiry was 881.

The anti-graft body filed 441 charge-sheets at the Special Court against 1,196 persons, including public post holders and their associates.

It said the court had convicted the defendants of corruption in 84.8 per cent of charge-sheets related to bribery, fake academic credentials, loss or damage of public property, accumulation of disproportionate assets, revenue embezzlement, unauthorised benefits and others. Of the total 1,196 persons indicted by the CIAA, six were civil servants of special class, 803 civil servants and police personnel of various ranks, 315 intermediaries or associates, one former deputy prime minister and 72 elected/nominated officials, including two former ministers.

“In 28 charge-sheets filed at the court, the CIAA has claimed principal amount of more than Rs 10 million each, from the defendants along with a fine equivalent to the same amount. Around Rs 1.96 billion has been claimed from the defendants of 18 cases related to accumulation of disproportionate assets,” read the report.

The CIAA conducted 181 sting operations in 2019-20, leading to the arrest of 277 persons. They were held while receiving bribe from service-seekers. Those arrested with bribe included gazetted special class officers, joint secretaries or equivalent, under-secretaries, section officers, non-gazetted first class officers, non-gazetted second class officers, office assistants, elected/nominated officials and intermediaries/associates.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on July 22, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.