KATHMANDU:- The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) on Thursday filed a case against 28 individuals, including former Speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR) Krishna Bahadur Mahara, at the Special Court on charges of gold smuggling.

The CIAA lodged a case against Mahara and other officials on charges of gold smuggling by concealing electric cigarettes (vapes) at the Tribhuvan International Customs Office.

The other officials facing corruption charges include the then Chief Customs Administrator of Tribhuvan International Customs Office, Arun Pokharel; Chief Customs Officer Mukti Prasad Shrestha; Chief Customs Officer Ambika Prasad Khanal, Customs Officers Ramesh Kumar Khatiwada and Subendra Shrestha, and Naya Subba Subarna Prava KC, Bhuwan Raj Ghimire, Umesh Prasad Koirala, Rewanta Khadka and Madhu Sudan Pokhrel. Resham Mahara ‘Rahul’, Nirmal Kumar BK, two Chinese nationals, a Belgian citizen and an Indian national have also faced the chargesheet, CIAA’s Assistant Spokesperson Ganesh Bahadur Adhikari stated.

The CIAA has claimed Rs 77.86 million from each of the accused individuals. RSS