E-Kantipur

KATHMANDU, DEC 23 - Most politicians, high-ranking civil servants, and police officers, who are facing charges of amassing illegal property disproportionate to their known sources of income, have submitted property details to the CIAA.

The anti-graft body has been scoping out property details of around eight dozen political and bureaucrats following complaints against them. "We had asked them to fill up the 13-page questionnaire that demands details of their property and most of them have returned the questionnaire," one of the official handling the cases related to disproportionate property.

In its effort to tighten the net around corrupt officials, the CIAA has asked the local revenue offices concerned to bar the accused from selling or buying land and other property. Two AIGs of Armed Police Force--Ramesh Dev Bhattarai and Jeevan Kumar Thapa--and Ramesh Aryal, former Deputy Director General of Inland Revenue have recently submitted their property details.

Aryal, who had investigated the VAT bill scam, had earned reputation being one of the officials of the highest integrity. "He submitted the property details requesting the CIAA to thoroughly and fairly investigate his case," said the official.

Both the AIGs were elevated to DIGs. Later, fingers were pointed at Home Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar for allegedly breaching seniority while promoting Bhattarai.

According to CIAA sources, CIAA officials have been currently investigating the sources of their income in details. In its first phase of investigation process into disproportionate property, the CIAA had issued 13-page questionnaire for 86 politicians, bureaucrats, and police officers. Agriculture and Cooperative Secretary Nathuram Chaudhary, Joint Secretary of Ministry of Commerce and Supply Chandra Ghimire and former Education Secretary Dipendra Bikram Thapa are among them.

Laxmi Dhakal, former Kathmandu CDO, who has been recently transfered to the Ministry of Home Affairs and leader of Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum-Nepal Renu Kumari Yadav are also under scanner as sources of their income remain unaccounted.

The CIAA has assigned Joint Aattorney General Badri Gautam to deal with the disproportionate property related cases, while chiefs of 10 departments under the anti-graft body are told to investigate corruption related cases separately. More than 300 complaints on disproportionate property have been filed at the anti-graft body.

Posted on: 2011-12-23 04:27

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