Financial issues during the construction of an international airport led to accusations of corruption among former Nepali ministers, officials, and a Chinese business.
In one of the largest instances of its kind in the Himalayan country, the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority filed charges against 55 individuals and China CAMC Engineering Company Limited on Sunday, accusing them of inflating construction costs by over $74 million. The start time of the hearing is yet unknown.
The allegations filed at the Special Court in Kathmandu, which deals with corruption cases involving government transactions, identify two Chinese firm officials.
Nepali authorities raised the price to just over $244 million “in cooperation with the Chinese business,” according to the commission, from the $169.6 million that was agreed upon with the government in 2012.
With a loan from China Exim Bank, the airport was constructed near the tourist city of Pokhara, 200 kilometers (125 miles) west of Kathmandu. It was anticipated to attract international visitors to the charming city, which serves as the beginning point for several hiking routes in Nepal. However, local media state that since operations started in 2023, it has failed to draw foreign planes.
In Nepal, court proceedings might take months or even years to settle.
The nation in South Asia is rife with corruption. Numerous youth-led protests against corruption in September resulted in the government’s resignation and the installation of an interim government, which murdered hundreds of people.
