The Supreme Court has issued a show cause notice to the Commission for Investigation and Abuse of Authority (CIAA) and Lalitpur District Administration Office (DAO) in relation to a corruption charge against the Social Science Baha, a non-profit organisation involved in research in the social sciences in Nepal.

A single bench of Justice Devendra Gopal Shrestha on Wednesday issued the notice, asking the defendants to furnish clarifications within 15 days. The bench has also summoned the defendants and plaintiff to discuss whether a stay order is required against the direction of the Lalitpur DAO to the Social Science Baha.

On September 22, the Lalitpur DAO, as per the instruction from the CIAA, had frozen the budget of the organisation citing irregularities.

The DAO had also sought audit reports of five years. The Social Science Baha, however, has maintained that it has been submitting its audit report and renewing its registration annually. On September 25, the CIAA had issued a public notice, charging the organisation with irregularities.

“The accusations are unfounded,” said Tika Ram Bhattarai, one of the lawyers of the plaintiff.

“It should have investigated before levelling allegations against the institution. The CIAA has breached its jurisdiction in an attempt to defame institutions and even individuals,” added Bhattarai.

Issuing a statement on September 30, The Social Science Baha had clarified that the anti-graft body had distorted facts and

misrepresented the documents while charging it with irregularities.