The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a corruption case at the Special Court on Wednesday against seven individuals, including former Federal Affairs and General Administration Minister Raj Kumar Gupta, former Land Management Minister Balram Adhikari, and former Minister Ranjita Shrestha, in connection with the Pokhara Lichhibari land scandal.
According to the CIAA, a corruption case has been registered demanding recovery of Rs 7.8 million from Gupta and Shrestha each, Rs 5.3 million from Balram Adhikari and Ram Chandra Adhikari each, and Rs 2.5 million from Yamkumari Gurung and Khambahadur Pun each. Similarly, Rs 7.8 million has been demanded from Tulsiram Budhamagar.
The case dates back to Ashad 28, 2082 BS, when an audio recording surfaced allegedly capturing then-Minister Raj Kumar Gupta taking Rs 5.3 million in bribes related to the transfer of the Kaski Land Revenue Office chief. Following the controversy, Gupta resigned from his ministerial position.
The scandal also implicated then–Land Management Minister Balram Adhikari and Ranjita Shrestha, Chairperson of the Nagarik Unmukti Party.
According to the CIAA, the investigation revealed involvement of officials from ministerial to secretarial levels in facilitating the illegal registration of land, supported by leaked audio clips and message exchanges documenting the bribery transactions.
It was also revealed that Sujan Lama from Pokhara had handed Rs 3.2 million to Minister Balram Adhikari’s son Manoj Adhikari, while an additional Rs 500,000 was deposited in the account of his brother Shalikram Adhikari.
