3 months on, graft-convicted ex-IGPs walk scot-free

Kathmandu
The Special Court (SC), on Feburary 13, had convicted the trio for malfeasance in the multi-billion Sudan scam and slapped them a two-year jail term. However, all of them are still off the hook as the court is yet to initiate the necessary process to jail them. Besides jail term, they are subject to pay fine—Rs 170 million by Rana, Rs 64.8 million by Gurung and Rs 48.54 million by Thakuri.Had there been swift legal system in place, they would have been doing time in jail now. But, to public's utter dismay, the Nepal Police confers the title of "former police chiefs" on the corruption convicts.The court could have arrested them from its premises if they were present when the verdict was announced. The law has it that if the convicts are absent at the time of verdict, they can be arrested only after formally informing them about the ruling and allowing them 35 days for a review at a higher court.In the Sudan case, only a few junior officials, out of the total 34 accused, were present when the verdict was issued. Thakuri and Gurung had appeared at the court, but they left before the verdict was announced as they were "informed that they are going to be indicted".In the court's eyes, the status of the three former IGPs is recorded as "at large", which means the convicts have no information that the court has convicted and sentenced them.The SC is also facing another problem that has been delaying their arrest. It hasn't drawn up the full text of the final verdict without which the court cannot write a letter to the convicts. "However, we are just through with the full text of the verdict now. Soon we will inform them by handing over a letter," said SC Registrar Dhir Bahadur Chanda. If they approach the Supreme Court and their appeal is accepted, they would avoid an immediate arrest. Another former IGP Moti Lal Bohara, who was recently convicted for amassing wealth disproportinate to his income, has said he would knock the apex court's door.The former police chiefs, except Bohara, were found involved in misusing Rs. 290 while purchasing Armoured Personnel Carriers for the Nepal's Peace Keeping Mission in Darfur some five years ago. The CIAA had filed corruption cases against them. However, the anti-graft body is not satisfied with the SC verdict to acquit another accused and former police chief, Achyut Krishna Kharel."We have accurate property valuation of the accused. But the court convicted one and acquitted others," said CIAA Spokesman Ishwori Paudyal. "We will move the Supreme Court after going through the full text of the verdict," he added.Even three months after the three former police chiefs were convicted of corruption, they are still walking scot-free. Worst, all of them—Om Bikram Rana, Hem Bahadur Gurung and Ramesh Chanda Thakuri—are enjoying state-provided secutity facilities.