KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 2
The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority has filed a charge-sheet at the Special Court against Rana Bahadur Katwal, registrar of Dipayal-based High Court, for allegedly causing loss to state coffer by abusing his power and authority.
According to the anti-graft body, registrar Katwal appointed his wife, a permanent schoolteacher, as a computer operator of the high court for the fiscal 2021-22.
The law prohibits any person to hold two or more positions simultaneously. Katwal created fake bills and documents to the account section, directing it to pay the salary to his wife.
He was also found to be receiving payment under various expenditure headings even for the works never done at the office.
"Katwal collected blank bill books from various businesspersons and received payments. He was the only authority to approve the bills for payment," said CIAA Spokesperson Shyam Prasad Bhandari. Once the Supreme Court conducted virtual monitoring of the high court.
However, Katwal forged hotel bills and received payments, showing that the Supreme Court officials had carried out on-site monitoring and stayed at a hotel.
Further, Katwal created bogus documents in the name of his wife as a light vehicle driver of the high court and received payments for months from mid-March to mid-July 2020. His wife was a permanent school teacher at that time too.
"He faked the documents and bills showing his wife as a light vehicle driver and ordered the account section to provide the payments," the anti-graft body said.
As per the CIAA, Katwal had embezzled Rs 610,995 by making payments to his wife as a computer operator and a light vehicle driver, in addition to misappropriation of funds under various headings.
The CIAA has demanded maximum punishment against Katwal as per sections 3, 17, 18 and 35 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2002.
If convicted by the Special Court, Katwal will be liable to a fine up to Rs 500,000 and an imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year and six months, in addition to recovery of the amount he embezzled as registrar of the high court.
A version of this article appears in the print on September 3, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.
