Kathmandu, October 20: The Commission for the Investigation on Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a corruption case against former additional secretary of the Ministry of Health and Population Dr. Sangeeta Kaushal Mishra and 14 others at the Special Court on charges of financial irregularities in the procurement of medical equipment.

According to the CIAA, while serving as Director-General of the Department of Health Services in fiscal year 2080/81 (2023/24), Dr. Mishra allegedly colluded with a supplier company to commit large-scale corruption during the purchase of five 3D mammography machines.

The machines, imported at a cost of about NPR 81.3 million, were billed at NPR 144.3 million, inflating the price by over NPR 63 million, which the CIAA claims was shared among Mishra and other officials. The commission also found that payments were released despite incomplete delivery, supported by false reports and fabricated bills.

Among those named in the case are several senior officials from the Department of Health Services, including Dr. Shrawan Kumar Thapa, Dr. Surendra Prasad Chaurasia, Dr. Vivek Kumar Lal, and Bhuvan Prasad Wagle, as well as representatives of Maxim Incorporation Traders Pvt. Ltd., the supplier company involved.

The CIAA has sought action under the Prevention of Corruption Act and demanded recovery of NPR 140.68 million from all defendants.

Dr. Mishra had recently been proposed as Health Minister in the current government but was not appointed after news surfaced that the CIAA’s investigation against her was nearing completion.

People’s News Monitoring Service.