Pokhara airport corruption case filed against former Minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki

Kathmandu: A corruption case has been filed against former minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki in connection with alleged irregularities in the construction of Pokhara International Airport. The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a case against 14 individuals, including the then Finance Minister Karki.

According to Krishna Sharan Lamichhane, spokesperson of the Special Court, the case is in the process of being registered at the court. The CIAA had earlier registered a corruption case against five ministers and others on December 21.

Later, on March 23, the CIAA also filed another case related to corruption in the construction of Pokhara Airport. This marks the third case filed today. Lamichhane said the CIAA has sought compensation amounting to Rs 3.62 billion, 522,160.

The CIAA has filed charges against then Finance Minister Karki, Finance Secretary Shankar Prasad Adhikari, then Tourism Secretary Maheshwor Neupane, Joint Secretaries Suresh Acharya and Dunduraj Ghimire, former Secretary Kewal Bhandari, Civil Aviation Authority Director Generals Sanjeev Gautam and Pradeep Adhikari, Deputy Secretary Yubaraj Pandey, Branch Officer Urmila Bhandari, Engineer Yogesh Aryal, and two companies.