Minutely looking into 1,500 corruption complaints: CIAA

Kathmandu, Aug 20 . The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) is probing in detail as many as 1,500 complaints of corruption.

At a programme organized by the Transparency International Nepal here Tuesday, Chief Commissioner at CIAA, Nabin Kumar Ghimire, shared that CIAA had forwarded investigation into those cases. Ghimire informed that the anti-graft body had seen the highest registration of the corruption cases in the last fiscal year, standing at 351 with the success rate in those cases remaining at 88 per cent.

According to him, the CIAA was facing difficulties in arranging the places for detention for those taken under for probe. He informed that CIAA had piloted the ‘Civil Surveillance Group’ which would be extended to other districts as well.

Stating that he who embezzles even a small amount is a corrupt person, the Chief Commissioner Ghimire clarified that CIAA was tightening the noose against anyone involved in wrongdoings irrespective of his/her post and position.

Similarly, Auditor General Tanka Mani Sharma underscored the need for the political parties to make code of conduct and abide by it strictly. He viewed that probe should be launched into the political parties’ economic mechanism and action taken against them if found involved in irregularities.

Likewise, Tribhuvan University former Vice-Chancellor Kedar Bhakta Mathema opined that universities were affected by the gross politicization. He cited the trend of Rector, Registrar and other office-bearers first reaching out to the political parties of their faith before making any important decisions was wrong.

Also speaking in the programme, Annapurna Post daily’s Chief-Editor Hari Bahadur Thapa argued that the definition of corruption at policy level was ambiguous. According to him, the public had not raised their voices against vices and anomalies fearing to be backfired.

Transparency International Nepal’s Chairman Khemraj Regmi pointed out the need for taking action against erring politicians, civil employees and business persons who were found involved in any cases of corruption. RSS