CIAA sues former minister Shahi, 31 others for corruption on wide-body aircraft

KATHMANDU, APRIL 4: The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has today filed a charge sheet against 32 individuals, including former Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Jeevan Bahadur Shahi. They are charged with corruption related to the procurement of wide-body aircraft for the national flag carrier, Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC).

Other officials facing charges include then General Manager of NAC Sugat Ratna Kansakar, the government secretary and Chairman of NAC Board of Directors Shankar Prasad Adhikari, then Director General of Customs Department and then NAC Board of Directors Shishir Kumar Dhungana, Civil Aviation Ministry’s Joint Secretary Buddhi Sagar Lamichhane, and others.

The CIAA has requested a recovery of Rs 1.471 million due to their alleged involvement in the misappropriation of funds in the procurement of the wide-body aircraft. In addition, the Board of Directors Teknath Acharya, Jiban Prakash Sitaula, Achyut Raj Pahadi, Nima Nuru Sherpa and Muktiram Pandey are also implicated in the case, according to the CIAA.

The anti-graft body has also taken legal action against representatives of aircraft suppliers, as well as citizens from Germany, Romania and Moldova. AAR International INC’s chief and four others have also been named as alleged offenders, with the CIAA seeking a compensation of Rs 1.471 billion.