The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has lodged a corruption charge-sheet against three officials of Nepal Rastra Bank including former Governor Tilak Rawal for their alleged involvement in bribery while awarding the contract to print polymer banknotes.

A corruption charge-sheet of Rs 9.1 million each was filed at the Special Court on Thursday against then Governor Rawal, then chief of currency management department at NRB Upendra Keshari Paudyal, and local agent of Australian company May Flower Limited Himalaya Bahadur Pandey.

Nepal Rastra Bank had awarded the contracts to Note Printing Australia (NPA), a subsidiary of Reserve Bank of Australia, to print 50 million polymer banks of Rs 10 denomination between 2002 and 2004.

The CIAA said the officials were found involved in corruption and making personal gains while awarding the contract to print the polymer banknotes. 

The CIAA said it launched its investigation after a complaint was filed that there was corruption while awarding the contract to print polymer banknotes, and the quality of the printed notes were also substandard. The charge-sheet has claimed that the officials were involved in dubious roles such as causing loss to state coffers by making the NRB pay exorbitant price through the premeditated deal with the Australian firm. 

The officials have also been accused of leaking the decisions of NRB management committee, receiving the draft of contract from Note Printing Australia before calling the tender, directing Germany company to hand over the printing machine to Australia, regular email communication between NRB officials, NPA and its local agent, ordering the firm to prepare the banknote design before awarding the contract. The CIAA claimed that the officials under the influence of local agents excluded the commission amount to dodge revenue.