Kathmandu: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a corruption case against 19 individuals, including two former chairpersons of the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA), over irregularities in the purchase of a Mobile Device Management System (MDMS).

However, critical documents required for the investigation, such as the technical report from the evaluation committee, the certification by the then-chairperson of the NTA, and the proposal from the vendor company, were not reviewed by the CIAA prior to filing the case, leading to delays in the hearing process.

The Special Court had initially set a hearing date for the MDMS case, but proceedings were postponed due to the absence of these essential documents. After the NTA finally submitted the missing paperwork on Thursday, the hearing has been rescheduled for November 26.

The case was filed on March 28, 2024, but the lack of necessary documents has slowed its progress. In comparison, a similar corruption case concerning excise sticker printing, filed just two months earlier in June, saw a verdict in just four months. The MDMS case, however, has seen slower movement despite being filed seven months ago.

The CIAA had requested these key documents from the NTA over a year ago during the course of its investigation into the MDMS purchase. At the time, the NTA’s procurement unit claimed that the documents were misplaced—ironic given that this unit is responsible for managing and safeguarding all contract-related documentation. Despite this, the CIAA did not press further for the missing records, choosing instead to focus on completing the investigation quickly and filing the case in court.

When the hearing began at the Special Court, lawyers representing the accused requested that the necessary documents be retrieved to determine the case’s outcome. The court subsequently ordered the NTA to submit the missing documents by November 10. With the documents now provided, the case is expected to move forward more swiftly, though the delay has raised questions about the handling of crucial evidence in the case.

The Special Court had earlier sent a strongly worded letter to the NTA, emphasizing the importance of submitting these documents to avoid further delays. With the missing paperwork now in hand, the court is expected to proceed with the hearing on November 26, and legal observers are hopeful that the case will be resolved more expeditiously from here on.