The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) today filed corruption cases at the Special Court against 18 individuals, including Nepal Telecom's then Managing Director Sunil Poudel and then Chief Business Officer (incumbent Managing Director) Sangeeta Pahadi.
CIAA spokesperson Rajendra Kumar Poudel said that a case has been filed against them alleging irregularities in the billing of services including Nepal Telecom's GSM mobile, fiber internet, leased line, wire line, and wireless due to the illegal purchase and sales. The CIAA has argued that there was bad faith in the purchase of related equipment and also the misappropriation of public assets.
The CIAA filed a case against the then Managing Director of Telecom Sunil Poudel, Managing Director Pahadi, then Chief Technical Officer Pratibha Shrestha, and Financial Officer Rajendra Shrestha, claiming recouping Rs 334. 81 million from them all.
Similarly, a case has been filed against the then Chief Operating Officer Jhabindra Lal Upadhyay, then Director Binita Shrestha, Acting Director Amul Pradhan, Manager Devendra Khatiwada, Deputy Manager Rajiv Kumar KC, Santosh Kumar Shrestha, Nawal Chaudhary, Mukti Prasad Aryal, Hemprabha Rampratap Karna, and Paramatma Bhattarai, claiming recouping Rs 334. 81 million from them all.
The Commission has stated that a claim for compensation amounting to Rs 334. 81 million has been made against three Chinese companies supplying goods and their representatives based in Nepal.
The CIAA claimed that a five-year agreement had been reached for an integrated billing system with the aim of causing losses to public corporations through mutual collusion. The Commission's spokesperson Poudel informed that a lawsuit has been filed today demanding action according to the loss and damages caused to Nepal Telecom.