Deuba gets jail term on corruption charge

KATHMANDU, JULY 26 The Royal Commission for Corruption Control (RCCC) on Tuesday awarded a two-year jail term and a Rs 90 million ($1.3 million) fine each to former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and former minister Prakash Man Singh, holding them guilty of embezzling $5.3 million in the multi-billion Melamchi drinking water project.

RCCC chairman Bhakta Bahadur Koirala handed out the sentences. The Commission was appointed by King Gyanendra, with sweeping powers to try cases of corruption in high offices.

Singh was the Physical Planning minister in Deuba’s cabinet when it awarded the contract for a $464 million drinking water project—funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB)—to a Chinese company with local partners.

The Commission also convicted the former secretary to the government, besides the executive and deputy executive director of the Melamchi Drinking Water Project, handing out a year’s jail term and a Rs 45 million fine to each.

Sources in Deuba’s family said both Deuba and Singh would challenge the verdict in the supreme court.

Incidentally, the RCC verdict was delivered three days after the integrity committee of ADB—the lead donor of the project—informed the Commission that there was no irregularity or corruption in the project. The Norwegian government—which had provided Rs 180 million for the project—announced its withdrawal, criticising the Royal regime for harassing its political rivals.