The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) on Monday asked the government to warn the secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communications, Mukunda Sharma Paudel, over his involvement in the massive illegal import of mobile phones last year.
According to reports, the CIAA has written to the cabinet secretariat to warn Paudel and take action against four other officials of the Information and Communications Ministry and Customs office. The CIAA has charged Paudel of pressurising the Tribhuvan International Airport personnel to release some people who were arrested in connection with illegally importing 1566 sets of mobile phones through Surya Concern Pvt. Ltd.
The CIAA also warned 18 local representatives and punished four officials over their involvement in illegal activities in the construction of Pokhara landfill site.
According to reports, the CIAA has asked the government not to give promotion for five years to project manager and engineer Binod Chandra Giri and not to give any increments to another government official Shiv Dutta Bhattrai. Similarly, the corruption watchdog has asked the government to warn Kedar Bahadur Bogati, ex-official deployed in the project and asked the government to stop promotions for five years to project in-charge Jyotindra Gurung.
The CIAA has also taken back Rs 9,700,000 from the construction company accusing it of irregularities.