Special Court Convicts Former NAC Officials in Aircraft Procurement Corruption Case

The Special Court has convicted former General Manager of Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) Sugat Ratna Kansakar and three others on corruption charges related to the procurement of aircraft for Nepal’s national carrier.

The bench, led by Chairman Tek Narayan Kunwar and members Tej Narayan Singh Rai and Ritendra Thapa, announced the verdict on Thursday, sentencing Kansakar to two years and nine months in prison. Former NAC Board of Directors Chairman and Tourism Ministry Secretary Shankar Prasad Adhikari received a one-year and nine-month jail term, while former NAC Board member Shishir Kumar Dhungana and former joint secretary Buddhi Sagar Lamichhane were each sentenced to one year and six months in prison.

The court imposed a fine of Rs. 122.59 million on the convicted officials and ordered them to pay an equal amount as compensation.

Three foreign representatives of the aircraft supplier company were also found guilty, each receiving one year and six months in jail.

However, the court acquitted former Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Jeevan Bahadur Shahi and 26 others, including two foreigners, citing insufficient evidence.

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) had filed charges against 32 individuals, including former Minister Shahi, alleging corruption in the wide-body aircraft procurement process. The CIAA had sought Rs. 1.471 billion in recovery, accusing them of misappropriating funds during the deal.

The case involved international representatives from Germany, Romania, and Moldova, reflecting the global dimension of the procurement scandal.

The verdict sends a strong message against corruption, highlighting accountability in high-profile public procurement cases.