Reported by
Nepal’s anti-graft body has filed corruption charges against Binesh Munakarmi, head of the Pokhara Regional International Airport Project, accusing him of abusing his position and amassing illegal wealth.
The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority said Tuesday it filed the case at the Special Court, alleging Munakarmi illegally acquired the equivalent of about $172,000 between February 1998, when he assumed public office, and December 2023, when he submitted his asset declaration to the commission.
The CIAA also named Munakarmi’s wife, Purna Keshari Gosai, as a defendant, accusing her of holding illicit assets in her name on behalf of a family member.
In its charge sheet, seen by OCCRP, the commission said it could not substantiate the source of the funds.
“It appears that the public servant/defendant Binesh Munakarmi has acquired illegal assets equivalent to that amount,” the charge sheet reads. “This is inconsistent and unnatural compared to the property details submitted by the defendant in accordance with prevailing laws.”
Yagyaraj Regmi, an information officer at the Special Court, said the case has been registered against Munakarmi and his wife and that the court will issue summonses with a 15-day notice period.
Last week, the commission filed corruption charges against 55 senior officials — including five former ministers — and a Chinese company, alleging they embezzled millions of dollars during the construction of Pokhara International Airport.
Regmi said the court is still issuing summonses to defendants in that broader case.
“We are still in the process of issuing summons for two Chinese citizens and one Chinese company as well,” he said.
According to the charge sheet, Nepali officials and China CAMC Engineering, the project’s contractor, colluded to inflate costs, violate procurement rules and compromise construction quality. Investigators allege the group misused about $74.3 million by increasing the airport’s approved budget from $145 million to $215.95 million “with malicious intent.”
