KATHMANDU: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has taken the case of irregularities in excise duty sticker printing at the Security Printing Center to the Supreme Court.

Dissatisfied with the Special Court’s verdict that acquitted former Chief Secretary Dr. Baikuntha Aryal, the CIAA filed an appeal at the Supreme Court.

The case, originally filed on June 23, 2024, named 12 individuals, including Aryal, then Secretary at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, as defendants.

CIAA had sought Rs 386.7 million in fines and compensation, imprisonment, and recovery of Rs 68.44 million already paid.

After the case was filed, the government created a special post at the National Planning Commission to accommodate Aryal, who should have been suspended.

On October 30, 2024, the Special Court acquitted Aryal. Only the then Executive Director Bikal Paudel and Director Safal Shrestha of the Printing Center were found guilty.

The verdict was delivered by the bench of outgoing Special Court Chairman Tek Narayan Kunwar and members Khushi Prasad Tharu and Ritendra Thapa.