Forest Officer of Udayapur Division Forest Office in Gaighat Arrested with Bribe Money

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A team from the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has arrested Bhuvan Paudel, a forest officer at the Udayapur Division Forest Office in Gaighat, with NPR 16,250 in cash. Paudel is accused of demanding and accepting money by promising to facilitate work related to a community forest consumer group. Chief District Officer Mekh Bahadur Mangrati confirmed the arrest and stated that further details will be released following the investigation.

The forest officer employed at the Division Forest Office in Gaighat was caught in possession of bribe money. A team dispatched from the CIAA Itahari office arrested Bhuvan Paudel, a seventh-level forest officer and information officer, with NPR 16,250 in cash. The CIAA team, acting on a special tip-off, increased surveillance within the office premises and apprehended Paudel on Thursday afternoon.

Paudel allegedly demanded and received money by assuring to expedite work related to a community forest consumer group. Chief District Officer of Udayapur, Mekh Bahadur Mangrati, confirmed receiving information about the officer’s arrest with cash by the CIAA team. “I have received information that the CIAA team arrested him with cash. Additional details regarding the arrest will be disclosed after the investigation,” he said.

The CIAA team is collecting further facts and evidence tied to the incident as the investigation proceeds. The legal confirmation of the charges against Paudel and subsequent procedures will follow through the investigation process, according to the CIAA. It is noted that Paudel was first assigned to Udayapur approximately 14 months ago.