Government suspends TEPC chief Shrestha

KATHMANDU, MAR 27 -

The Ministry of Commerce and Supplies (MoCS) on Monday suspended Ramesh Kumar Shrestha, executive director at the Trade and Export Promotion Centre (TEPC).

The ministry’s action has come after the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) filed a corruption case against Shrestha in the Special Court on Sunday.

Shrestha has been charged with misappropriation of Rs 5.8 million in three controversial dealings, according to CIAA. This is the second time that Shrestha has come under the anti-corruption watchdog’s scrutiny.

The case has been filed under the section 17 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 2002, CIAA officials said. “We filed the case against him (Shrestha) after finding his involvement in three faulty dealings and illegitimate activities,” said Ishwori Prashad Paudel, spokesperson for CIAA.

The CIAA investigation found that Shrestha took Rs 126,000 for his trip to Germany to participate in a trade fair last year by ‘producing counterfeit travel order’, according to Paudel.

Shrestha has also been accused of embezzling Rs 1.3 million during the 10th SAARC Trade Fair in 2010. Abusing his authority, he had made a payment worth the amount to an advertisement agency for the trade fair’s promotion without going through due bidding process. “He didn’t bother to announce formal bidding and handed over the amount with his sole decision,” said the CIAA.

Shrestha has also been charged with misappropriating Rs 4.4 million while hiring TEPC staffers on contract basis. He had recruited 24 staffers at TEPC’s branch offices in Birgunj, Bhairahawa and Nepalgunj last year.

Shrestha, however, denied charges and said he has been framed. He claimed that he recruited the TEPC employees with the board’s consent. The CIAA charge sheet has sought Rs 9.8 million in penalties, the same amount for the loss of state property and a two-year jail term for Shrestha.

Source: Kantipur