Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, March 4:

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) is probing into cases of vehicle smuggling with the help of civil servants.

"Since vehicle smuggling is a serious crime which affects the revenue collection, we are investigating the related cases seriously," CIAA commissioner Beda Prasad Siwakoti told this daily.

According to him, criminal gangs, with the help of government officials, have been smuggling vehicles into the country.

According to Siwakoti, of the total number of vehicles entering the country, 25 per cent are smuggled. "As we have received a slew of complaints, we must probe into the smuggling cases seriously."

During the last eight months, the CIAA has filed five smuggling cases at the Special Court against government officials, including undersecretary of the Transport Management Department.

According to another CIAA source, the anti-graft body will complete its preparation to file corruption cases against some former ministers and high-ranking officials against whom the CIAA had initiated action some ten months back.

After probing 40 ex-ministers and high-ranking officials, the CIAA had given clean chit to

14 former ministers and high-ranking officials and filed corruption cases against 10 at the Special Court.

The source added that the anti-graft body will file corruption cases against 50 more ex-officials some months later.