Karnali, Aug 4

The rate of the corruption-related complaints is increasing gradually each year in the Karnali state.

According to the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), Surkhet, though the number of registered complaints were relatively less last fiscal year due to the four months long lockdown against coronavirus, its rate is found to be growing each year.

During the fiscal year 2075-76 BS (2018-19), the office had received 783 complaints and the figure was 679 last fiscal year. The highest 238 complaints ( during last fiscal) were from Surkhet followed by 186 from Dailekh, 144 from Jajarkot, 102 from Kalikot, 84 from Jumla, 80 from Salyan, 78 from Rukum (West), 66 from Humla, 53 from Mugu and 49 from Dolpa.

Similarly, 316 complaints were about ministries and offices under the Federal Government whereas 210 were related to the ministries under the subordination of State government and 554 were concerned with local levels.

The Office said with it being more concerned for the abuse of authority, civic awareness against corruption has increased and it has led to the rise in the rate of registered complaints. As said by Office information officer Meghnath Sapkota, now people are more concerned about development activities and they have more access to information technology which has encouraged them to report the complaints about irregularities happening around them before the CIAA.

The Office last year had caught 14 people red-handed for bribery. The figure and the amount ( 1.34 million) confiscated from them is more than of the previous fiscal year as four had been arrested red-handed that year with the confiscation of Rs 447 thousand.

The Office has filed 22 cases at the Special Court against 70 people, seeking the recovery of 14.93 million from them.