The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) filed separate cases at the Special Court against some ex-officials of different branches of Rastriya Banijya Bank (RBB) in the Kathmandu Valley alleging them of irregularities while issuing letter of credit (LC) for private companies.

The CIAA filed cases against the then Manager Thirtha Prasad Neupane, senior assistant Raghubar Raj Pandey and account officer Anil Kumar Bhandary in the charge of misappropriating US $ 198,750 while issuing LC for Subash Chandra Mundada, proprietor of Mundada Impex with mal-intention. All three were the then officials of the Bhotahiti Branch of the RBB.

The Commission has accused them of returning the deposit amount of Rs. 201,333.74 producing fake documents with signatures and stamps of the concerned customs offices.

Similarly, the CIAA also accused then manager Gopal Bahadur Shrestha, Pandey and Bhandary of the same branch of misappropriating fund while opening LC with Chakra Prasad Pandit, proprietor of New Sapin Enterprises and embezzling US $ 135,483 and a deposit amount of Rs. 135,889.50.

Meanwhile, another charge sheet of the Commission accused the then RBB officials of the Baneshwor Branch in a similar case of opening LC for Dambar Bahadur Thapa, proprietor of Sanam Shalma Traders with mal-intention.

According to the Commission, those accused are manager Shree Krishna Shrestha, senior assistant Mahendra Bhakta Pradhananga, assistant account officer Ram Prasad Rai, field assistant Bal Prasad Neupane and assistant Madan Kumar Siwakoti.

They were accused of misappropriating US $97,200 producing fake documents and office stamps of the concerned customs offices, the press statement said. The Commission has also accused them of embezzling the deposit amount of Rs. 98,464. nepalnews.com pb Apr 19 06