CIAA books 9 NEA big-wigs for transformer scam

KATHMANDU: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority today arrested Nepal Electricity Authority director and nine other officials suspecting their involvement in purchasing sub-standard transfomers.

The detained included two former officers of the sole electricity provider in the nation. CIAA spokesperson Shreedhar Sapkota said that the arrests were made on the basis of their involvement in recommending, inspecting, approving and releasing payments to purchase sub-standard transformers.

NEA director Arjun Kumar Chauhan; Mahesh Kumar Karki, NEA deputy director; Hari Bahadur Gasi, manager; Nimesh Kumar Pokhrel, assistant manager ; Binod Kumar Swornakar, electrical engineer; Manoj Baral, deputy manager ; Ram Bijul Mandal, assistant electrical engineer; Suraj Prasad Shah, engineer and Shashi Bikram Thapa, former assistant director were taken into the custody by the watchdog.

Along with the officials, CIAA has also brought two foriegn companies — one Chinese and another Thai– under its scanner. The name of these companies have been not released yet citing ongoing investigations.