Godawari Municipality Mayor Among 14 Charged in Graft Case Over Revenue Loss

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has taken decisive action against alleged corruption, filing a significant graft case at the Special Court. The case targets 14 individuals, including Gajendra Maharjan, the incumbent mayor of Godawari Municipality in Lalitpur.

The allegations suggest a staggering revenue loss of Rs1.04 billion to the state coffers. These losses are purportedly linked to the approval of tenders for sand and stone extraction spanning from the fiscal year 2018-19 to 2022-23.

Among the defendants are Maharjan, who previously served as an administrative officer, along with other elected representatives and contractors. According to Yagya Raj Regmi, Information Officer at the Special Court, the CIAA’s case accuses the defendants of causing revenue losses by awarding contracts at rates below those established by the government.

Maharjan, who hails from the Nepali Congress and is currently in his second term as mayor, faces serious legal repercussions as the case unfolds.