Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed yet another corruption case against Bharat Thapa, the mayor of Bagmati Municipality in Sarlahi district, at the Special Court on Tuesday.
Thapa, who gained notoriety for digging and naming a lake after himself, is accused of embezzling Rs 30.29 million during lake construction in Wards 4 and 12 of Bagmati Municipality.
According to the CIAA, the charge sheet was filed based on complaints alleging irregularities in the sale of sand, boulders, and other river products extracted during lake construction. Five others have also been charged in the case.
This is not the first time Thapa has faced corruption allegations. Earlier, on April 10, the CIAA filed a case against him at the Special Court, accusing him of amassing property worth Rs 53.3 million disproportionate to his known sources of income.
The CIAA has claimed in the charge sheet that Thapa, in collusion with various interest groups, illegally extracted stones, gravel, sand, and other forest products from the forest area under the Sagarnath Forest Development Project without obtaining necessary permissions. The constitutional anti-corruption body has stated in the charge sheet that false documents were prepared, claiming that the Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) had been approved. The construction of the Bharat Lake progressed without obtaining permission to divert the natural flow of Bagmati River.
