- Nepal’s Special Court acquitted all 18 defendants, including former Nepal Telecom manager Sunil Poudel, in a long-standing billing system corruption case.
- Judges ruled that the CIAA failed to prove allegations of financial loss and irregularities during the procurement and implementation of the contract.
- The acquittal follows years of legal proceedings over high-profile allegations of authority abuse within the state-owned telecommunications provider.
- The CIAA retains the right to appeal the Special Court's decision to the Supreme Court once the detailed verdict is released.
Kathmandu, Nepal: The Special Court has acquitted all 18 defendants, including former Nepal Telecom manager Sunil Poudel, in a long-running corruption case related to the procurement of a telecom billing system, bringing an end to years of legal proceedings over the controversial contract.
A division bench of judges Narayan Prasad Poudel and Bidur Koirala delivered the verdict on Thursday, ruling that the prosecution had failed to establish the corruption charges against the accused. The decision grants a clean chit to all 18 individuals facing allegations in connection with the project.
Confirming the verdict, Special Court spokesperson Krishna Sharan Lamichhane said the bench acquitted all defendants after reviewing the evidence and legal arguments presented during the trial.
The case was originally filed by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), which alleged irregularities in the procurement and implementation of the billing system during the accused officials' tenure. The anti-graft body claimed the contract process caused financial losses to the state and sought legal action against Nepal Telecom officials and others involved.
Among those acquitted is former Nepal Telecom manager Sunil Poudel, a principal defendant in the case. The prosecution had accused the officials of abusing their authority during the contract's award and implementation process. However, the court concluded that the evidence presented was insufficient to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
The detailed verdict has yet to be made public. Once the full text of the judgment is released, it is expected to clarify the court's legal reasoning and the exact grounds for the acquittals.
The ruling marks another significant judgment in high-profile corruption cases involving public procurement, particularly within information technology and telecommunications. Depending on its assessment of the written verdict, the CIAA may choose to appeal the Special Court's decision to the Supreme Court, as permitted under Nepalese law.
The case had remained under judicial consideration for several years, drawing public attention due to the high-ranking officials involved and the scale of the public-sector procurement. Thursday's verdict formally clears all 18 individuals of the charges brought by the anti-corruption agency.
