Kathmandu. The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has moved the Supreme Court (SC) challenging the Special Court’s verdict on corruption related to Melamchi Water Supply Project.

3 former secretaries of Melamchi project The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) on Sunday had filed a writ petition at the apex court challenging the Special Court’s verdict in a corruption case filed against 18 persons, including Sanjay Sharma, Gajendra Kumar Thakur and Bhim Upadhyay and three contractors.

Two years ago, the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) had filed a corruption case at the Special Court against 15 individuals including the then secretary Gajendra Thakur and a company claiming a recovery of Rs 7.75 billion. Last year, the Special Court had convicted Thakur, three other employees, a contractor and three contractors of the case.

The anti-graft body has demanded imprisonment and fine against the defendants as per the demand and contrary to the facts and evidence revealed by the investigation and the precedent established by the Supreme Court.

The Special Court had sentenced former secretary Thakur and then executive director of Melamchi Water Supply Development Committee, Ram Chandra Devkota and Surya Raj Kandel to Rs 10 million 61 thousand 75 each and eight years and one month in jail. Similarly, the court sentenced Shiva Kumar Sharma, a team leader of IPTISA, to eight years in prison and fined Rs 2,95,65,603.

Similarly, a total of 6,21,93,596 claims were made from consultant firm Iptisa and Bates (BETS). The court also ordered the Italian contractor, CMC, to pay Rs 26,11,06,991 to the company.