E-Kantipur

KATHMANDU, SEP 15 -  

The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), the lone crusader in the battle against corruption in Nepal, has settled more corruption cases related to the bureaucracy and administration as compared to the previous years, the annual report made public by the CIAA on Thursday said.

However, high profile corruption cases involving influential political leaders and ministers remain unsolved.

Except three lawmakers--Gayatri Sah, Bishwonath Prasad Shah and Dol Bahadur Karki--no politicians were booked for corruption this year though several cases were lodged against politicians for their alleged involvement in corruption.  

Sah and Yadav were suspended for misusing their diplomatic passports, while Karki was suspended for taking bribe from one Rajkumar Rai in return for a job in the police department.

Former Education Minister Ram Chandara Kushwa, who was sacked from the Cabinet, also remained out of the CIAA scanner. Also, former Forest Minister Deepak Bohara, who once hogged the headlines for massive deforestation to have ever occured in the history of Nepal, could not be brought to book. 

Complaints were filed against former ministers Sarba Dev Ojha, Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar, Prakash Sharan Mahat, Purna Kumar Sherma, Umakanta Chaudhary and Krishna Prasad Sitaula for their involvement in various scandals while they held ministerial portfolios. However, no action could be taken against them.

“We could not find substantial evidence to prove their involvement in the cases,” CIAA Secretary Bhagawati Kafle, who is also heading the body as the acting chief, told reporters. 

The report made, however, said the anti-graft body took some important decisions in controlling corruption in government offices and freeing public land from mafias.

Of the 6,145 cases it handled, the CIAA settled 3,904 this year, which is nine percent more than the previous year, the report said.

The CIAA also said it has issued directives to the government to register over 847 ropanis of public land in the Capital in the government's name after taking them from the mafia.

Kafle is heading the institution for the past two years in the absence of the CIAA board, while the post of the Chief Commissioner lies vacant for the last five years.

Posted on: 2011-09-16 01:59

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