The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority on Sunday filed a corruption case against Sunil Paudel, former managing director of Nepal Telecom, on the charge of amassing illegal wealth.

The anti-graft body filed the case at the Special Court, accusing him of acquiring property worth Rs237.5 million by misusing his position. It has demanded confiscation of the property and an equal fine.

CIAA investigated the property under Paudel’s ownership from June 2, 2004, to March 14, 2023. Paudel didn’t hold any public position from 2005 to 2008.

The CIAA has charged Paudel with acquiring illegal wealth by irregularity in the purchase of telecommunication and other equipment.

On Friday, the Special Court had convicted Paudel on the charges of corruption while procuring the National Payment Gateway system. A joint bench of Special Court Chairperson Tek Narayan Kunwar and member Murari Babu Shrestha found Paudel guilty of causing loss to the state coffers and misusing government funds.

On October 2, 2023, the CIAA filed a corruption case against nine people including Paudel and Marasini in the National Payment Gateway purchase case.

The anti-graft body accused them of causing loss to the state coffers and misusing government funds by purchasing the system at Rs250 million without preparing the necessary infrastructure and approving an unreasonable high estimate for the system purchase.

The court findings showed that the defendant’s failure to fulfil his responsibility and put the software to proper use had caused financial loss to the government.