Kathmandu, June 29: Nepal’s Special Court on Monday ordered five defendants to furnish bail in a corruption case related to alleged irregularities in the passport printing procurement process, while allowing two others to remain free on a general court appearance.
A bench comprising judges Narayan Prasad Paudel, Hemant Rawal and Umesh Koirala ordered former Director General of the Department of Passports Tirtha Raj Aryal to post bail of Rs 500,000, Director Sunil KC Rs 400,000, Somesh Thapa Rs 300,000, Bipin Prasai Rs 300,000, and Manindra Kumar Malla, an agent of a German company, Rs 500,000.
The court released Under Secretaries Tulsi Prasad Acharya and Raja Ram Dahal on a general court appearance without requiring bail.
The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) last week filed a corruption case against 16 individuals and two companies, alleging losses exceeding Rs 10 billion in connection with the passport printing procurement.
