The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) on Sunday filed a corruption case at the Special Court against 18 defendants, including the director general of the Department of Passports, government officials and two foreign companies, over alleged irregularities in the procurement of e-passports worth Rs10.13 billion.

Security was tightened around the Special Court premises as the anti-graft body submitted the case.

According to Parvati Hitan, information officer at the Special Court, the CIAA has sought recovery of Rs10.13 billion.

The defendants include 16 individuals and two foreign companies. Among them are 10 government officials led by Tirtha Raj Aryal, director general of the Department of Passports. Others named in the charge sheet are IT director Sunil Kumar KC, and accounts and administrative officials Tulsi Prasad Acharya, Rabin Raj Bhandari, Rajaram Dahal, Bhesh Prasad Bhurtel, Pushpa Raj Nepal, Somesh Thapa, Bipin Prasai and Shatrudhwan Prasad Sharma Pokharel.

The two foreign companies charged are Muehlbauer ID Services and Veridos.

Under the procurement arrangement, Muehlbauer was awarded Package 1, covering passport pre-enrolment, enrolment and data management systems, while Veridos secured Package 2 for personalisation, quality control and packaging systems.

The CIAA has also charged four foreign nationals associated with the companies: Gerhard Maurer and Pavli Rakic of Muehlbauer ID Services, and Fabiola Bellersheim and Florian Pasqualin of Veridos. The commission had earlier published a notice in The Rising Nepal, directing them to appear either in person or virtually. Nepali facilitators Siddhartha Thapa and Manindra Raj Malla have also been charged.

During the investigation, the CIAA also summoned former foreign ministers Arzu Rana Deuba and Narayan Kaji Shrestha over the passport procurement process. Investigators served a summons at Deuba's residence in Budhanilkantha after she did not appear. Neither former minister, however, has been named as a defendant in the case.

The investigation gathered pace following a high-level meeting at the Prime Minister's Office. Members of the prime minister's secretariat reportedly urged the CIAA to take action against Aryal. An arrest warrant was subsequently issued, leading to his detention.

Seven of the accused are already in CIAA custody and have been produced before the Special Court. Court officials are reviewing the case documents before formal hearings begin.