Kathmandu, 31: March, The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority filed a Rs30 million graft case at the Special Court on Sunday, naming seven people and company, including businessman Bishal Pandit, as defendants.

The case pertains to alleged irregularities in the procurement of medical equipment.

The CIIA has accused that a contract for the purchase of equipment for the Koshi Provincial Hospital was awarded to Pandit’s company in collusion with officials depriving other lower bidders of the contract.

Pandit, who is also the owner of the Kathmandu-based Basera Boutique Hotel, was also embroiled in controversy in the procurement of medical supplies during the Covid pandemic.

Likewise, Kushal Dahal, a biomedical engineer at Province Health Logistics Management Centre Biratnagar; Chandra Dev Mehta, then director of Health Directorate Dhankuta; Dandar Singh Bishwakarma, then accounts officer of Health Directorate Dhankuta, vaccination officer Udesh Kumar Shrestha, Laxmi Prasad Acharya, marketing manager Hospitech Enterprises and the company have been charge-sheeted.