Kathmandu: The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a corruption charge sheet against six individuals, including Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) Director General Pradeep Adhikari and former Director Murari Bhandari, over alleged irregularities in the Nalinchowk Heliport construction project.

According to a press statement issued by the CIAA, the charge sheet implicates DG Adhikari, then-Director Bhandari, Nal Bikram Thapa, Samriddhi Shrestha, Gurudutta Adhikari, and Bijaya Thapa, manager of Abhiyanta Consulting Pvt Ltd. They have been accused of causing a loss of Rs 135.7 million to public property in violation of the Corruption Prevention Act.

The CIAA concluded that serious procedural breaches and irregularities occurred at every stage of the heliport project—from consultant selection to preparation of the feasibility and study reports.

Major Allegations Highlighted in the Charge Sheet

• The heliport construction process was advanced without conducting the mandatory feasibility study.
• Technical and financial proposals were requested without legal approval.
• Inexperienced consultant firms were collusively selected for the project.
• Procurement proceeded without a detailed project report (DPR).
• Required documents—including specifications, design plans, procurement master plan, annual procurement plan, and budget approval—were not prepared, violating the Public Procurement Act and Regulations.

Engineer Samriddhi Shrestha and then-Director Murari Bhandari allegedly approved a feasibility study and moved to procure consultancy services based on an unverified cost estimate.

The CIAA stated that these actions collectively resulted in significant financial loss to the government and constituted a deliberate breach of legal and procedural norms.

The case has now been formally registered, and legal proceedings will follow as per the existing anti-corruption laws.