Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a corruption case related to the visit visa scam against seven individuals.
The anti-graft body on Thursday lodged a case against seven individuals, including Joint Secretary Tirtha Raj Bhattarai, at the Special Court, charging them with extorting money from Nepalis traveling abroad on visit visas.
According to Yagya Raj Regmi, information officer at the Special Court, the CIAA has made seven individuals and two companies defendants in the corruption case, and three individuals defendants in a money laundering case.
Along with Joint Secretary Bhattarai, land broker Khem Prasad Subedi, and Kavita Paudel of CIST College have been made defendants in the money laundering case. The CIAA is seeking to recover Rs 10.37 million from the defendants in this case.
Similarly, Joint Secretary Bhattarai, Balkrishna Khadka and Ram Khadka of Greenland Holidays, Deepak Bhandari of Holidays Travels and Tours, Kavita Paudel of CIST College, and land broker Subedi have been made defendants in the corruption case.
The Special Court has maintained a recovery claim of Rs 7.98 million against Bhattarai in the corruption case.
The CIAA had arrested Bhattarai at the Tribhuvan International Airport Immigration Office in March.
