KATHMANDU, MAY 15
The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a corruption case at the Special Court against former Minister for Information and Communications Mohan Bahadur Basnet, currently a Member of the House of Representatives, today. He, along with 15 others, has been accused of alleged irregularities in the procurement of the Telecommunication Traffic Monitoring and Fraud Control System (TERAMOCS).
According to the CIAA, the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) manipulated the selection process of a consultant for TERAMOCS by preparing a false report to include an unqualified bidder in the Request for Proposal (RFP). The contract was then awarded to that party in violation of procurement procedures.
Despite a Supreme Court directive concerning a mandamus writ petition, the system-capable of accessing citizens' personal information-was installed without any legal foundation. The CIAA said this unauthorized implementation misused state resources and caused significant financial loss, thereby constituting corruption.
Investigations revealed that while the NTA had submitted its annual program for fiscal year 2074/75 to the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology under Rule 34(ga) of the Telecommunications Regulations, 205. However, then-Minister Basnet unilaterally instructed the inclusion and execution of the TERAMOCS project-one not proposed by the NTA, acting beyond his jurisdiction. His actions were reportedly carried out in coordination with NTA officials and in defiance of a Supreme Court order issued on 2072/10/21 (writ no. 069-WO-0268), and in contravention of existing laws. These acts fall under Section 17 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2059.
Charges and Defendants
Basnet has been charged with causing illicit financial gain amounting to Rs 3.21 billion (Rs 3,21,83,77,182). The CIAA has sought his imprisonment, fines, and recovery of the entire amount under various clauses of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The charge sheet also names 15 other individuals involved in the case, including:
- Former NTA Chairpersons: Digambhar Jha and Purushottam Khanal
- Former NTA Members: Dhanaraj Gyawali and Tika Prasad Upreti
- NTA Directors: Bijay Kumar Raya, Surendra Lal Hada, and Dipesh Acharya
- Deputy Directors: Rewoti Ram Pantha, Suresh Basnet, Hiranya Prasad Bastakoti, Achutananda Mishra, and Sandip Adhikari
- CEO of Vanrise Solutions SAL (Offshore): Jamal Anouti
- Chairperson of Connection Trade Link Pvt. Ltd. (Kathmandu): Dilip Kumar Gurung
- Director of the same company: Tej Prasad Kharel
