KATHMANDU: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a corruption case against Jhalak Sharma, an eighth-level accounts officer at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development and Transport Management, Gandaki Province, based in Pokhara, Kaski.

The case accuses Sharma of accumulating unexplained assets worth Rs 62,693,129 during his tenure.

According to CIAA spokesperson Rajendra Kumar Paudel, Sharma held the position from Magh 8, 2054 BS to Mangsir 10, 2080 BS.

During this period, the total legally earned income by Sharma—including salary savings, daily travel allowances, incentives, meeting allowances, employee provident fund contributions, agricultural earnings, and proceeds from land sales—amounted to Rs 33,987,490.

However, the CIAA found that the total expenditures made by Sharma and his family over the same period totaled Rs 96,680,620.

This included personal loans issued to others through various bank and cooperative accounts, special loans from the employee provident fund, investments in company shares, educational expenses, vehicle purchases and renewals, and purchases of gold and other precious jewelry.

The commission stated that the source of Rs 62.6 million in excess expenses could not be justified by Sharma.

Furthermore, much of the illegally acquired wealth was found to be in the name of his wife, Huma Kumari Upadhyay.

As a result, the CIAA has filed a formal charge sheet at the Special Court on Wednesday, seeking the confiscation of the illicit assets and legal action under Section 16(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2059 BS, and Section 29(b) of the CIAA Act, 2048 BS.