The Special Court on Thursday sentenced Bikal Paudel and Safal Shrestha, then executive director and director, respectively, at the Security Printing Center, to eight years in jail for irregularities in printing of excise duty stickers.
Additionally, they have been slapped with a fine of 34 million 222 thousand 800 rupees along with an equivalent amount in restitution, the court said.
The court determined the jail-term and fine based for Bikal and Safal on the verdict issued by chairman of the Special Court, Teknarayan Kunwar and members Khusi Prasad Tharu and Ritendra Thapa on October 30.
Former Chief Secretary Baikuntha Aryal, another bigwig involved in the same case, has got a clean chit. However, he has already resigned from his post.
Similarly, procurement expert Shakti Prasad Shrestha, section officer Hari Ballav Ghimire, accounting officer Bishnu Prasad Gautam and Printcell Pvt Ltd and its properiter Keshav Sharma have also been left off the hook. Cases have been filed against them.
Likewise, then director general of the Inland Revenue Department, Ritesh Kumar Shakya, deputy director general Tanka Pandey, director Ganesh Bikram Shahi, sector officer Rabindra Paudyal have also been exonerated.
On June 23, the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) had filed a corruption case against 11 individuals including former Chef Secretary Aryal, claiming Rs 380 million in damages.
.
