KATHMANDU: A corruption case has been filed against former District Education Officer Bal Krishna Chapagain and eight others in Khotang.

According to Rajendra Kumar Paudel, spokesperson for the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), during fiscal years 2070/71 and 2071/72, the then District Education Office in Khotang allocated a total grant of NPR 2.4 million for the construction of a four-room building at Janata Higher Secondary School. The project’s cost estimate was NPR 3,208,864, and an agreement was signed on Magh 12, 2070 BS.

The grant was supposed to be released in phases—up to 20% after completing the RCC frame and brick foundation work, with the final installment paid only after finishing the DPC to Ty-B beam work. However, contrary to the agreement, the office released the full NPR 2.4 million before completing the DPC work.

In addition, NPR 650,000 received in fiscal year 2074/75 for library management and book purchases was misused for the building construction.

Corruption charges have been filed against several individuals including former District Education Officer Bal Krishna Chapagain (NPR 1 million), Ganesh Prasad Bhattarai (NPR 1.4 million), former Accounts Officer Bhuvan Prasad Acharya (NPR 1.5 million), former Survey Officer Suresh Kumar Shrestha (NPR 280,000), and former Sub-Engineer Shivraj Rai (NPR 2.4 million).

Charges were also filed against former principal and building committee member Hemwar Basnet and former school management committee chairperson Dilip Kumar Rai (NPR 3.05 million), former school management committee chairperson Charch Bahadur Bishwakarma (NPR 2.4 million), and building contractor Babendra Rai (NPR 700,000).

The CIAA filed the charges on Thursday under the Corruption Prevention Act, 2059 BS, seeking penalties and punishment for the accused.