CIAA Intensifies Probe Into E-Passport Procurement Case, Four Arrested

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority has intensified investigation and action over suspected irregularities in the e-passport procurement and printing process. So far, four people have been arrested in the case, which is linked to the alleged awarding of contracts to two German companies for printing 6.4 million passports by violating public procurement rules. Those arrested include Passport Department Director General Tirtha Raj Aryal, Information Technology Director Sunil Kumar KC, Accounts Officer Tulsi Prasad Aryal and Manindra Malla, the Nepal agent of contractor company Muehlbauer. Siddhartha Thapa, the Nepal agent of another contractor company Veridos, is absconding, and the CIAA has already written to police for his arrest.

The investigation focuses on allegations that contracts were awarded to two German companies by bypassing competition and rules. The Passport Department had awarded a contract worth Rs 6.11 billion to Veridos GmbH and Rs 1.55 billion to Muehlbauer ID Services GmbH. During the investigation, the CIAA has also issued a public notice asking both German companies and their officials to appear before the commission. The commission has instructed company representatives who signed the contract agreements to appear physically or virtually at its Tangal office within the given deadline. It has warned that further legal action will be taken under Nepal’s prevailing laws if they fail to appear. The Special Court has allowed Director General Aryal and Director KC to be kept in custody for four days from Ashar 1, while Accounts Officer Aryal and agent Malla have been remanded for three days. Other department employees linked to the case have been kept on date.