The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) on Monday filed a corruption case at the Special Court against Rambabu Mahato Koiri, a former engineer of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City, for allegedly amassing illegal wealth worth over Rs45.89 million.

According to the CIAA, Koiri abused his position in public office to accumulate properties without legal sources between the time he joined public service in 1989 and his retirement in 2022. Originally from Kshireshwarnath Municipality-5 in Dhanusha, he currently resides in Chandol, Kathmandu.

The anti-graft agency stated that while Koiri’s legitimate income during the review period was around Rs33.78 million, his total expenses and investments found in various areas amounted to Rs79.67 million, indicating a significant discrepancy in his legal earnings and the properties accumulated by him.

The CIAA has demanded confiscation of both movable and immovable assets suspected of having been acquired through corruption.

Investigations revealed that Koiri made substantial investments in real estate, financial institutions, cooperatives, insurance, and educational institutions, far exceeding his known sources of income. The chargesheet also claims that Koiri hid illicit assets under the names of family members.

The CIAA has additionally listed Koiri’s wife, Malakumari Mahto, as a defendant in the case for asset seizure, stating that she was used to conceal illegally acquired property.

The anti-corruption watchdog has requested that the court confiscate the total disputed amount and impose appropriate penalties per the law.