A corruption case was filed against former non-gazetted first class officer (nayab subba) Raghunath Ghimire at the Special Court on Sunday.

The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) filed the case against Ghimire demanding imprisonment and Rs21,446,657 fine for illegally amassing wealth while holding a public office.

Ghimire had earlier been accused of involvement in the alleged manipulation of tax rates in the federal budget through outsiders in collusion with then-finance minister Janardan Sharma.

It had become a big scandal when it was leaked that the tax rates given in the annual budget were manipulated at the behest of some businesspeople in the midnight of May 28, 2022. Ghimire had reached the finance minister in the midnight as a representative of the businesspeople in coordination with then finance minister Sharma.

The next day, Minister Sharma unveiled the government's annual budget in Parliament. Sharma had to resign the ministerial position on the same charge.

Ghimire had joined the government service on November 14, 1995. He resigned on February 13, 2019, while still working at the Customs Department.

On Sunday, the anti-graft body filed the chargesheet on a separate corruption case against him that stated Ghimire spent Rs73,962,984.67 during his service while his income during the period was Rs52,516,327.44.

The CIAA has demanded that the property exceeding his income be classified as illegal and sought Rs21,446,657 as fine and confiscation of the movable/immovable properties amassed through unauthorised means.

CIAA spokesperson Bhola Dahal said that a case has been filed against the accused demanding a fine and confiscation of illegal assets as revealed by the investigation.

Ghimire’s wife Sharda Gautam, who was working as a customs agent, has also been made a defendant. Gautam, a permanent resident of Arghakhanchi, currently lives in Kalanki.

Sources privy to the investigation said Ghimire made his wife a customs agent, misusing his position to amass property.