Kathmandu: The Special Court (SC) has sentenced Bikal Paudel, the former executive director of the Security Printing Center, and Phal Shrestha, the former director of the Center, to eight years in prison, along with a fine of Rs 34.22 million each.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the ruling was delivered by a bench comprising SC Chair Tek Narayan Kunwar and Judges Khusi Prasad Tharu and Ritendra Thapa. The court found the two individuals guilty on October 30 for their involvement in a corruption case concerning the printing of excise duty stickers.
In a significant turn, Baikuntha Aryal, the former Chief Secretary, was acquitted of all charges in the case.
The legal proceedings began when the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) filed a case on June 23 against a total of 12 individuals, including Paudel, Shrestha, and Aryal. They were accused of misappropriating funds allocated for the printing of excise duty stickers. The court also mandated the recovery of Rs 3.86 millio
n from those involved in the corruption scheme.