The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a lawsuit at Special Court against six people including the then executive chief of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Office on the charge of indulging in corruption while purchasing tents for the survivors of last year's earthquake. The lawsuit was filed Friday.

The accused include then KMC office chief and joint secretary Purna Bhakta Tandukar (who is presently posted at the Public Procurement Monitoring Office), the then Department Chief Shantaram Pokhrel, Finance Department Chief Buddha Ratna Manandhar, administration chief Akhat Bahadur Saud, proprietor of Kshitiz Enterprises Nanda Raj Pokhrel and New Chaudhary Traders proprietor Sundarlal Chaudhary.

The CIAA has sought the recovery of Rs2.4 million as fine each from Tandukar, Manandhar and Saud. Similarly, Kshitiz Enterprises owner Pokhrel and New Traders owner Chaudhary who had been awarded the contract of supplying tents to the Office have been demanded for refunding Rs291,323 and Rs2.11 million—the amount they misused while executing the contract, according to CIAA Spokesperson Krishnahari Pushkar.

They have been indicted of taking benefits illegally in the post-earthquake relief efforts, the CIAA said. It had demanded maximum punishment as per the law against the accused.

It may be noted that the Public Account Committee of the Legislature-Parliament has already directed the authorities concerned to take action against those found guilty in the tent purchase irregularities in the aftermath of the major earthquake that hit the country on April 25 last year. RSS