CIAA files graft and money-laundering charges against former immigration chief Bhattarai, six others
Summary
The CIAA has filed corruption and money-laundering charges against former immigration chief Tirtha Raj Bhattarai and six others over a large-scale bribery racket related to visit visas at Tribhuvan International Airport.
Key Points
- The CIAA charged former immigration chief Tirtha Raj Bhattarai and six others with corruption and money laundering involving visit visas.
- Bhattarai allegedly maintained corrupt contacts with travel agents and received bribes while managing visit visa approvals.
- Bribes were calculated per traveller using coded diary notations and money was funneled through associates for land purchases.
- The charges include violations of the Prevention of Corruption Act 2002 and the Anti-Money Laundering Act 2008, totaling illicit amounts of Rs79.8 million.
