Kathmandu, July 15

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority today filed corruption case at the Special Court against former vice-chancellor of BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences Balbhadra Prasad Das and seven others, including two equipment suppliers. Six of the defenders are former or current employees of BPKIHS.

Defendants include former director of BPKIHS Arvinda Kumar Sinha, former BPKIHS registrar Nanda Kumar Thapa, BPKIHS Registrar Tul Bahadur Shrestha, BPKIHS Accounts Chief Dinesh Raj Dahal, BPKIHS Deputy Manager Amit Shrivastav, proprietor of Biomed International Pvt Ltd Chetan Agrawal and proprietor of Upkaran Suppliers Surgicame Distributors Umesh Agrawal.

The anti-graft body claimed in the charge-sheet that the accused employees and suppliers colluded with each other to embezzle public money. It added that defendants Balbhadra Prasad Das, Arvinda Kumar Sinha, Nanda Kumar Thapa and Tul Bahadur Shrestha awarded tender(s) to the highest bidder without adequately analysing the grounds and facts for their decision.

The CIAA sought to recoup Rs 40.8 million from Das, Rs 3.75 million from Sinha, Rs 1.96 million from Thapa, Rs 5.6 million from Shrestha, Rs 20.3 million from Dinesh Raj Dahal, Rs 10.74 million from Amit Shrivastav, Rs 10 million from Chetan Agrawal and Rs 6 million from Umesh Agrawal.

The CIAA invoked Sections 8 (1) and 24 of the Prevention of Corruption Act against Das, Sinha, Thapa and Shrestha. If convicted, they can face a jail term ranging from three months to three years depending on the degree of their offence.

As per Article 24, they can also face additional three-year jail sentence.

The anti-graft body invoked Section 8 (4) of the act against Chetan Agrawal and Umesh Agrawal. If convicted, they can face jail term up to two years.