The Special Court bench is led by Chairman Gauri Bahadur Karki and has Om Prakash Mishra and Kedar Chalise as members.[break]
Following preliminary hearings over the graft charges, the court decided to release ex-DIG Niraj Pun and ordered him to appear before the court on August 6.
Documents show that Pun attended Police Welfare Fund´s Board meeting not in the capacity of a board member but in the capacity of a representative of the chief of the board, says the court order. Pun is not found to have been involved in endorsing the plan to purchase Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs) or making payments to supplier for non-functional APCs. Therefore, the bench orders to release him, the bench said.
The court said it decided to seek bail amount from DIG Shah and SSP Rana based on the preliminary documents which shows their involvement in the multi-million rupee Sudan scam.
"Rana denied his involvement in the process of procuring and supplying APCs and spare parts in his statement recorded at this court," states the order, "However, available document shows his involvement in the process of purchasing APCs and amending contract agreements with contractor."
The bench also sought bail amount from Shah stating that he was involved in recommending procurement of APCs without defining the specification of such logistics.
Shah worked as a member of a board formed to recommend purchasing of APCs and other logistics for Nepali peacekeepers deployed in Darfur, Sudan, states the court order adding, Shah is also found to have been involved in releasing payments to supplier.
Hearings on the charges faced by Shambhu Bharati, a local agent of the London-based Assured Risks that supplied APCs, couldn´t take place even Wednesday and therefore court sent him to judicial custody.
SSP Shiva Lamichhane and SP Niraj Bahadur Shahi also appeared before the court on Wednesday to defend graft charges slapped by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA). Hearing on their charges couldn´t take place due to lack of time and therefore the court sent them to judicial custody.
Rana´s relatives to deposit bail
Meanwhile, former Chief of Nepal Police Om Bikram Rana, who is in Dillibazar jail after failing to deposit bail amount as sought by the court, furnished documents at the court on Wednesday. Rana´s 12 relatives have pledged that they are ready to deposit properties on par with bail amount slapped against Rana by the court.
Diwakar Rana, Nita Rana, Punit Bikram Rana, Swastika Rana, Ritika Rana, Pustika Rana, Sworupa Rana, Swikriti Rana, Bidhya Shah, Tara Thapa, Namra Shah and Upama Shah Rana have pledged before the court that they will deposit their lands and other properties on behalf of Rana. The Special Court has asked the Land Revenue office to check the documents.
Who is Shambhu Bharati?
Originally from Dadeldhura district, Shambhu Bharati has long been supplying various commodities to Nepal Army and Nepal Police. Proprietor of Bhagwati Traders, Bharati had worked as a local agent for London-based Assured Risks Pvt Ltd that supplied Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs) and other logistics to Nepali peacekeepers deployed in Darfur, Sudan, following an agreement with Police Welfare Fund.
Bharati, one of the main accused in the Sudan scam,is in judicial custody. Bharati had appeared before the Special Court to defend graft charges on Tuesday.
Bharati, who holds an LLB degree, had insisted to amend contract agreement reached between Assured Risks and Police Welfare Fund after the initial agreement didn´t work in their interest.
Following Bharati´s repeated insistence made under the request of Michael Rider, director of Assured Risks, police officials, under the command of the then Police Chief Om Bikram Rana had amended contract agreement eight times.
Sources claim Bharati owns houses in London and has become a billionaire within a short span of time. "Bharati has close contacts with top political leaders in Nepal and has been able to obtain lucrative contracts from Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force," the source claimed.
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