Banking News — Nepal’s Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a corruption case against four individuals over alleged financial irregularities exceeding Rs. 1.11 million in the construction of a building at Janata (Model) Secondary School in Rajpur Municipality-5, Rautahat.

According to the anti-graft body, an investigation into complaints regarding the school’s tender and construction process found that the pre-school block, built under the Model School Development Programme, had been deliberately overvalued, resulting in the misappropriation of government funds.

The CIAA stated that following the approval of the project’s multi-year master plan by Rajpur Municipality on Falgun 3, 2075 (February 2019), a Physical Infrastructure Construction Committee was formed under the chairmanship of the school’s principal.

The commission said that D.B. Multi Engineering Consultant Pvt. Ltd. initially prepared a cost estimate of Rs. 97.38 million, which was later revised to Rs. 105.78 million. Subsequently, the construction committee prepared a valuation bill and project completion report worth Rs. 109.82 million, claiming the building had been completed and seeking additional payment.

According to the investigation, false bills and payment vouchers were prepared by overstating the volume of completed work by Rs. 1,110,114.57, resulting in excess payments beyond the actual construction carried out.

The CIAA has filed a charge sheet at the Special Court, Kathmandu, accusing the defendants of committing an offence under Section 8(1)(e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2002, and has sought recovery of Rs. 1.11 million as the amount allegedly misappropriated.