December 21: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) on Thursday filed a graft case against former governor of Nepal Rastra Bank, Dr Tilak Rawal, and two others on charge of corruption relating to printing of polymer notes.

The anti-graft body filed corruption cases against former governor Rawal, the then chief of Department of Notes at the central bank, Upendra Keshari Poudel, and Himalaya Bahadur Pandey, a representative of an Australian company which was assigned the responsibility for printing the polymer notes. The CIAA has sought bail amount of Rs 9.19 million from each of the three accused for allegedly embezzling a total Rs 27.3 million.

The charge-sheet filed at the Special Court states that all three accused are currently at large.

CIAA Spokesperson Rameshwar Dangal said that they found the NRB officials involved in financial dealings with the Australian agent, printing sub-standard notes, and colluding with the foreign company against the laws among other illegal activities.

The Nepal Rastra Bank had printed 50 million polymer notes of Rs 10 denomination with the help of the Australian firm when Rawal headed the central bank about one and a half decades ago.