Kathmandu, October 19
The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a corruption case against former secretary Dr. Sangeeta Kaushal Mishra. A few weeks ago, Mishra was reportedly being considered for the position of Minister of Health in the interim government. Along with Mishra, the CIAA has filed the case at the Special Court against 15 individuals.
They have been accused of corruption in the procurement of 3D mammography machines. According to the CIAA, cases have been filed against former Director General of the Department of Health Services Dr. Sangeeta Kaushal Mishra, Director Dr. Shrawan Kumar Thapa, Senior Health Administrator Dr. Surendra Prasad Chaurasia, Director Dr. Bivek Kumar Lal, and Chief Accounts Controller Bhuwan Prasad Kafle.
Similarly, cases have been filed against Public Health Officer Dipak Adhikari, Section Officer Yadav Prasad Sapkota, Accounts Officer Shambhu Prasad Dhakal, Legal Officer Sita Ghimire, Biomedical Engineer Ashish Chauhan, Padma Mishra, Public Health Inspector Sanjay Kumar Sah, and Accountant Tilak Ram Dhakal.
The CIAA has also filed a case against Maxime Incorporation Traders Pvt. Ltd. and its operator, Sunder Bhusal.
Mishra has been accused of embezzling Rs 144.3 million. The proposal for the purchase of five machines was valued at Rs 125.5 million, with each machine priced at Rs 25.1 million. However, including VAT, the total cost was inflated to Rs 141.8 million.
After reports surfaced that she was being considered for the post of Minister of Health, Mishra resigned from her position. She was also aspiring to become Health Secretary. When the government appointed Dr. Bikash Devkota as secretary instead of her, she had taken leave from work.
Following the formation of the new government after the Gen Z movement, she had started visiting the ministry. As her name began circulating for the position of Health Minister, she decided to resign.
As Mishra’s name gained momentum as a likely Health Minister, officials from the CIAA reportedly informed a official close to Prime Minister Sushila Karki that “the investigation against her was in its final stage and a corruption charge sheet could be filed within a few days.”
Afterwards, her nomination was halted.
The CIAA has filed the corruption case against Mishra in connection with procurement-related documents from her tenure as Director General of the Department of Health Services.
