The Hindu : International : Deuba cleared of graft charges

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jun 28, 2005

International

International

Deuba cleared of graft charges

Panel wanted to defame anti-royal politicians: ex-Premier

KATHMANDU: Nepal's powerful royal appointed anti-corruption commission on Monday cleared the former Prime Minister, Sher Bahadur Deuba, and six of his former Cabinet Ministers of illegally distributing Rs. 3.8 millions of state funds to party workers.

Mr. Deuba, sacked by King Gyanendra when he seized power earlier this year, would continue to remain in detention on charges of irregularity in awarding the Melamchi Drinking Water Project contract funded by the Asian Development Bank.

``Deuba and six other Ministers who were charged with distributing money from the Prime Minister's Fund during the Dasain festival last year has been given clean chit by the Royal Commission for Corruption Contol,'' said the Commission spokesman Prem Raj Karki.

The Commission said though irregularities had been found in distributing the funds, the Prime Minister could not be convicted of corruption as he had the right to distribute the money.

The six Ministers who were acquitted of charges of misusing the Prime Minister's Fund are Jog Meher Shrestha, Purna Bahadur Khadka, Mohamad Mohasin, Badri Mandal, Yuvraj Gyawali and Homnath Dahal. The commission released them on condition that they would appear before it whenever required.

Mr. Deuba, who has refused to cooperate with the Commission terming it as illegal and unconstitutional, told reporters after the verdict that ``the Commission's action was directed at defaming the political leaders who oppose the February 1 royal take-over.''

A former Minister, Prakash Man Singh, is also in police custody in the drinking water contract embezzlement case. The commission was set up by the King soon after he assumed absolute powers on February 1.

Students freed

Communist rebels have freed 90 high school students who were seized from their classrooms last week for indoctrination, officials said on Monday.

The students, who were kidnapped on Wednesday, were released over the weekend and have returned to their homes in Paudiamrai village, about 300 km west of Katmandu.

None had been harmed by the rebels and all were in good health, said an official.

Earlier, authorities said they were alarmed because the students had been missing for five days, which was unusual because the rebels typically hold such abductees only for two or three days.

About 90 ninth- and 10th-grade students from Nepal Rastriya High School, were abducted, the military said. — PTI, AP

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

News Update

Stories in this Section

Arroyo apologises for "lapse" during Presidential poll

Russia walks out of Estonia border pact

Deuba cleared of graft charges

Acquittals: Pakistan gang rape victim approaches Supreme Court

U.S. forces Israel to cancel sale of planes to China

Jordan says no to Saddam's novel

Joerg Haider in expenses row

Years of militancy ahead, says Rumsfeld

Happy and humming

Sikh protesters disrupt wedding in U.K.

Pranab meets Rice, discusses U.N. seat

U.K. promises to take fresh look at advisory on Kashmir