Kathmandu, October 7

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority today filed a corruption case against Suresh Thakur, chief of Rupandehi Division Office of the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction, for illegally amassing disproportionate assets by abusing authority.

In the charge-sheet filed at the Special Court, the CIAA sought punishment (fine and jail sentence) for T hakur as per Section 20 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The anti-graft watchdog also sought confiscation of Thakur’s disproportionate income worth Rs 31.87 million, according to a press release issued by the CIAA.

As per Section 20 (2) of the act, in case it is proved that a public servant has acquired property in an illegal manner, the person shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years. The CIAA has also sought confiscation of immovable assets amassed illegally by Thakur and registered in the name of his wife Anita Thakur, and movable assets stashed in bank accounts of Santosh Thakur, Balaram Upadhyaya and Minakshi Sinha, whom the CIAA has made defendants in the charge-sheet.

The commission also submitted to the court as evidence Rs 1,250,500 seized from Thakur on July 28; NPR 108,500, INR 8,160, USD 1,050 and Euro 485 seized from Thakur’s office and residence on August 10; and NPR 6,650,000 which Balaram Upadhyaya withdrew from his Prime Bank account being used by Thakur and handed it over to the CIAA. The commission has also sought confiscation of the amounts.

The CIAA had initiated investigation following a complaint that Thakur demanded money from business people on several pretexts and created unnecessary hassles for  them for not handing over the demanded sum. The complaint has also sought investigation into Thakur’s disproportionate assets.

In the investigation, the CIAA found that Thakur’s legal income stood at Rs 7,501,207 during the period between his assumption of public post (January 15, 2003) and initiation of the CIAA investigation this year. But over the same period, Thakur earned a staggering Rs 39,374,928.50, including bank deposits and investments in shares and insurance in the names of his family members. “The CIAA investigation found no source for Thakur’s income worth Rs 31,873,720.69,” read the CIAA release.