Graft case filed against Commerce Secy Marasini, NT MD Paudel among others

KATHMANDU: A corruption case has been filed against nine persons including Madhu Marasini, Secretary at Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supply.

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) filed the graft case in the Special Court against Marasini, National Information Technology Centre chairman and Executive Director in the national payment gateway scam.

They have been accused of causing a loss of Rs 250 million to the state for not bringing the national payment gateway, which was purchased six years ago, into use.

The then Under Secretary at the National Information Technology Centre and the current Managing Director of the Nepal Telecom Sunil Paudel, the then Director at the National Information Technology Centre and current Deputy Director Safal Shrestha, the then head of the Budget and Program Division of the Finance Ministry and current Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supply Marasini and the then Assistant Director at the National Information Technology Centre Ramesh Pokharel have been made defendants.

The case was also registered against the then Accounts Officers at the National Information Technology Centre Nim Bahadur Oli and Ram Bahadur Budha and computer engineer at the National Information Technology Centre Ram Sharan Gayak.