KATHMANDU: The Special Court has ordered the release of five individuals, including Tirtha Raj Aryal, the Director General of the Department of Passports, on bail ranging from Rs 300,000 to Rs 500,000.

Two other co-defendants were released without bail on ordinary recognizance due to their brief tenures at the department.

This decision follows a five-day hearing regarding a lawsuit filed by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), which accuses the officials of colluding with German contractors Muhlbauer ID Services and Veridos GmbH.

The CIAA alleges that the procurement and printing process for electronic passports involved over Rs 10.13 billion (USD 76 million) in corruption, resulting in massive financial losses for the state.