Chargesheet Filed Against Former DG of Department of Health Services, 13 Others at Special Court

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) on Sunday, October 19, filed a chargesheet at the Special Court against 14 individuals, including Dr. Sangita Kaushal Mishra, former Director General of the Department of Health Services, over alleged corruption in the procurement of mammography machines.

According to the CIAA, the accused colluded to prepare false cost estimates and submitted fabricated post-delivery inspection reports and invoices, falsely claiming that all contractual supplies had been received. The commission alleges that they knowingly approved and received payments for incomplete deliveries, causing a loss of Rs 140.68 million to the state.

Notably, Mishra recently stepped down as Additional Secretary at the Health Ministry amid speculation that she might be appointed Health Minister in the interim government led by Sushila Karki.

CIAA spokesperson Rajendra Kumar Paudel said the other accused include Dr. Shravan Kumar Thapa, former Director of the Department’s Management Division; Dr. Surendra Prasad Chaurasiya, Head of the Supply Management Branch; Dr. Vivek Kumar Lal, Department Director; Bhuvan Prasad Kafle, former Chief Accounts Controller; Sita Ghimire, Legal Officer; Deepak Adhikari, Senior Public Health Officer; and Yadav Prasad Sapkota, former Branch Officer.

Charges have also been filed against Shambhu Prasad Dhakal, former Accounts Officer; Tilak Ram Dhakal, Department Accountant; Ashish Chauhan, Biomedical Engineer; Padma Mishra, former Biomedical Engineer; Sanjay Kumar Sah, Public Health Inspector at the Central Store, Pathlaiya; Maxim Incorporation Traders Pvt. Ltd.; and its Chief Executive, Sundar Bhusal.

Each accused faces a recovery claim of Rs 140.6 million. The CIAA has sought imprisonment and fines proportional to the financial loss under clauses (a), (c), (e), and (j) of Sub-section (1), Section 8 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2002, along with recovery of the misappropriated amount. Additional penalties have been requested under Sub-section (2), Section 19, and Section 24 of the same Act.

(With inputs from RSS)