KATHMANDU: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has arrested the former managing director of Nepal Telecom, Sunil Poudel, and the former executive director of the Security Printing Center, Bikal Poudel.
The anti-graft body took the duo into custody after they disregarded repeated summons to provide statements, a statement issued by the CIAA said.
CIAA will present the two before the Special Court on Thursday.
“We made the arrests due to the potential risk of the defendants fleeing and destroying evidence,” stated CIAA Joint Spokesperson Devi Prasad Thapaliya.
According to the CIAA, the two individuals were also discovered diverting funds from the country by establishing a bank account in a foreign country without obtaining approval from the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB).
CIAA filed a corruption case against nine incumbent and former government officials, including the two arrested on Wednesday, for irregularities in the procurement of the National Payment Gateway six years ago, at the Special Court on October 23, 2023.
Himal Press
24 Jan 2024
