Clean chit to Deuba, ex-ministers on PM Relief Fund misappropriation charge
The Royal Commission for Corruption Control (RCCC) has cleared former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and six ministers of his erstwhile cabinet of the charge of “misappropriating” the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.
The all-powerful commission has also given clean chit to the 27 “beneficiaries” of the alleged misappropriation of the PM’s Relief Fund.
A three-member “bench” of the RCCC consisting of the commission’s chairman Bhakta Bahadur Koirala and members Shambhu Khanal and Hari Babu Chaudhari announced the “verdict” to that effect on Monday afternoon.
The erstwhile Deuba cabinet had distributed a total of Rs.3.8 million from the PM Relief Fund to different individuals as Dashain allowances.
The RCCC, on May 5, had formally charged Deuba and six ministers of his cabinet- Yuvaraj Gyawali, Homnath Dahal, Mohammad Mohasin, Jog Mehar Shrestha, Purna Bahadur Khadka, and Badri Prasad Mandal- of misappropriating the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund in the name of doling out Dashain allowances to different individuals through cabinet decision.
The commission had also charged 27 different individuals who had received the money.
“Though the decision (to distribute Dashain allowances) was against the norms and modus operandi (of the government), they cannot be convicted as per the Section 17 of the Nepal Corruption Control Act 2050 BS,” the RCCC said in its decision today.
Earlier, the RCCC investigation team in its charge sheet had demanded a jail term of up to three years against Deuba and all six ministers and a penalty sum equalling the “misappropriated” amount.
While the six former ministers had furnished bail as demanded by the RCCC and were immediately released, Deuba had refused to do so challenging the constitutionality of the commission.
Talking to journalists after the RCCC decision, Deuba said, “It was a political drama staged by the RCCC for the character assassination of leaders. It has come to an end now.”
Similarly, former minister Yuva Raj Gyawali said, “Now, it has been proven that we had not done any wrong.”
Deuba is still in custody on charges of the alleged corruption involving the Melamchi Drinking Water Project. nepalnews.com amt June 27 05
Related News
-
RCCC charges former PM Deuba, former ministers
