CIAA Chief Rai faces corruption complaint over three scandals

KATHMANDU: A formal complaint has been filed at the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) against its own Chief Commissioner, Prem Kumar Rai.

The complaint, registered under number C-003498, was submitted by Yuvraj Paudel (Saphal) of Sindhuli on Sunday.

Rai is accused of involvement in three high-profile corruption cases: the wide-body aircraft procurement scam, Nepal Oil Corporation’s (NOC) land purchase irregularities, and the fake Bhutanese refugee scandal.

The complaint demands a thorough investigation and prosecution under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

In the wide-body aircraft case, the Special Court’s full-text verdict (December 5, 2024) criticized “selective prosecution,” noting that key decision-makers like Rai, who served as Tourism Secretary at the time, were not charged. This, the court said, undermined equal justice.

In the NOC land scam, Rai allegedly approved over Rs 1.5 billion in controversial land purchases as then-Supply Secretary and NOC Board Chair.

While former Executive Director Gopal Khadka faced prosecution, Rai was not investigated. The case was reportedly shelved during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the refugee scam, some accused testified that they handed over cash in Rai’s vehicle when he was Home Secretary. Yet, no inquiry was launched.

Paudel urged Rai to resign and cooperate with an independent investigation, citing the Special Court’s indirect indication of his responsibility.