Prasain, who is also the central treasurer for education of the employees' organization close to UML, had been working in the library for 7 years, but he did not take Ramana when he was transferred to another place.
The Authority has filed a corruption case on Sunday against Dhaneshwar Prasai, branch officer of Rashtriya Kitabkhana (Teacher) Kathmandu, who was arrested along with 3 lakh bribes taken from Sevagrahi.
Narahari Ghimire, spokesperson of the authority, said that a case has been filed against 3 people including him in a special court. On January 14, 2014, the authority arrested Prasai and started investigation on the charge of demanding bribe from the service recipient for the purpose of making a pension plan. During the
investigation, the authority has also filed a case against Bhawani Adhikari, the office assistant of the bookstore, and Sudarshan Neupane, the middleman. Authority spokesperson Ghimire said that they were found to have accepted a bribe of 3 lakhs to make a pension patta (retirement right certificate) according to the rules of service users. It is mentioned in the charge sheet of the authority that the three persons, including the branch officer Prasai, will be fined Rs 3 lakh and imprisoned and fined accordingly.
Prasai was detained by the authority for the second time with a bribe. Even before this, he was caught by the authorities with 52,000 bribes from the bookstore on 15th January 2077. The authority had filed a case against him in a special court even then. An investigating officer of the authority said that the case pending in the Supreme Court was not solved yet and he was charged with bribery.
Prasain was acquitted in that case on 31st of June 2079, saying that 'the accusations could not be confirmed by objective evidence'. Dissatisfied with the decision of the special court, the Authority appealed to the Supreme Court on 19th January 2079. At that time, along with him, Suresh Prasad Nepal, the light vehicle driver of the bookstore, and Sudarshan Neupane, the owner of the same canteen, were also detained by the authority.
It is mentioned in the charge sheet filed in the court that the authority took a bribe for doing the work of Bholanath Dhungana. Dhungana gave a statement to the authority that he demanded the money after arguing for 8/10 days that he needed to open the details of the leave to make the pension lease.
Prasain is an officer of Shiksha Group who was adjusted in Manthali Municipality located in Ramechhap in 2074. But since then, he has been working in the library on the basis of access, according to sources in the Ministry of Education. "Manthali went and appeared one day and returned the next day," said a deputy secretary of the Ministry of Education. "He was caught with a bribe of 52,000." According to his demand, the ministry had assigned him to the office where he had taken the bribe earlier.
He is also the central treasurer for education, a staff organization close to UML. Officials of the Ministry of Education say that he has been working in the library for 7 years continuously based on the same political access. Colleagues say that he has influenced the high-ranking staff from ministers and secretaries in the ministry, showing his access to the leadership of the staff organization.
Last May, Prasai received a complaint of Rs 50,000 bribe to the Ministry of Education. After the complaint, then Education Minister Sumana Shrestha transferred him. He was transferred to Education and Human Resource Development Center in Bhaktapur. Officials of the Ministry of Education say that he did not even take Ramana from the library and did not appear at the center.
'He has a house in Sanothimi in Bhaktapur along with the office of the centre. But he was not ready to leave the bookstore even after being transferred to housekeeper," said his fellow officer. "After being caught with a bribe for the first time, he refused even when we reminded him," said an officer, "everything is fine." I used to say that I will arrange everything.' The joint secretary, deputy secretary, officer and other employees who were transferred at that time went to appear at the designated place.
