Two separate cases have been filed at the Special Court against Joint Secretary Tirtha Raj Bhattarai, six others, and two companies in connection with the visit visa scandal.
The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) filed the cases on Thursday against seven individuals and two companies.
Special Court spokesperson Krishna Sharan Lamichhane said that the charge-sheet is currently in the process of being registered.
“Two separate cases related to bribery and money laundering have been submitted,” he said.
According to him, the bribery case has been filed against seven individuals, including Bhattarai, and two companies. Likewise, the money-laundering case has been filed against three individuals.
In the money-laundering case, charges have been brought against Joint Secretary Bhattarai, Kavita Paudel, and Khemraj Subedi. A total of Rs 10.38 million has been claimed against the three in damages.
In the bribery case, charges are being registered against Bhattarai along with Immigration Officer Yagyaraj Aryal, Green Line Holidays operator Balkrishna Khadka, Ram Khadka, Deepak Bhandari of Family Holidays & Tours, Kavita Paudel, a lab assistant of the Central Institute of Science and Technology (CIST) at New Baneshwar, and land dealer Khemraj Subedi.
Among the companies, Green Line Holidays and Family Holidays & Tours have been named as defendants.
Separate amounts have been claimed against each of the accused in damages.
A total of Rs 7.98 million has been claimed against Bhattarai, Rs 800,000 against Yagyaraj Aryal, Rs 3.02 million against Balkrishna Khadka, Rs 1.06 million against against Deepak Bhandari, Rs 3.02 million against Ram Khadka, Rs 7.98 million against Kavita Paudel; and Rs 7.98 million against Khem Subedi.
According to spokesperson Lamichhane, the charge-sheet states that they took bribes in collusion, promising to send 257 individuals abroad on visit visas.
“The CIAA's charge-sheet alleges that they maliciously accepted bribes to send 257 people abroad, thereby committing corruption-related offenses,” he said.
