The court sentenced Paudel and Shrestha to eight years in prison for corruption in the negotiable instruments printing case

The Special Court sentenced Bikal Paudel, former director general of Security Printing Centre, and Saphal Shrestha, former director of the centre, to eight years imprisonment each for their involvement in a corruption case related to the printing of excise stickers. The court also ordered both of them to pay compensation of R34.22 million and an equivalent fine.

The full court, comprising chairman Tek Narayan Kunwar and justices Khushi Prasad Tharu and Ritendra Thapa, gave the order after an investigation into irregularities in the procurement and printing process. The court on October 30 found Paudel and Shrestha guilty and imposed the sentence on Thursday.

The Commission of Inquiry into Abuse of Authority (CIAA) had filed a case on June 23 against 12 people, including Paudel and Shrestha, for alleged embezzlement of Rs 386.71 million. The charges centered on inflating purchase costs and making irregular payments, among other crimes.

While Paudel and Shrestha were found guilty, former chief secretary Baikuntha Aryal and several others named in the case were also acquitted by the court.

The government had previously planned to set up a secure printing press to increase domestic capacity for printing sensitive materials, but the initiative was marred by allegations of mismanagement and commission negotiations.