KATHMANDU: Suryaprasad Silwal, Chairperson of the Nepal Insurance Authority, has been charged with forgery and corruption by the Special Court. The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) filed the case, alleging that Silwal repeatedly manipulated official documents with differing birth dates to falsify his age, thereby abusing his government position.
Following the registration of the case, Silwal has been automatically suspended. The CIAA’s charge sheet claims Silwal misused his position from July 31, 2023, and has sought recovery of NPR 3.6 million from him, equivalent to the undue benefits he allegedly obtained.
CIAA spokesperson Narahari Ghimire stated, “As the Chairperson of the Authority, Silwal should have retired at the mandatory age limit of 65 years. However, he continued in office even after turning 66 on July 31, 2023, abusing his position for personal benefits.” The CIAA also accused Silwal of repeatedly altering his birth date in citizenship and passport records, committing forgery and deceit.
According to the investigation, Silwal’s original citizenship certificate issued by Parsa District Administration Office on April 6, 1976, listed his age as 16 years. However, when obtaining a duplicate citizenship certificate in Kathmandu on April 29, 2009, his birth date was changed to November 7, 1959. His academic transcripts from Tribhuvan University list his birth date as July 30, 1958, which matches the date he used when joining government service in 1986.
The CIAA alleges that Silwal knowingly maintained this birth date for government services, securing retirement benefits in 2016 based on the same. However, when applying for diplomatic and special passports, Silwal provided falsified details, listing his birth date as November 10, 1961, effectively reducing his age by three years.
The CIAA has called for action under sections 15 and 16 (1) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2002. These provisions impose penalties of one to two years of imprisonment and fines ranging from NPR 50,000 to NPR 100,000 for abusing a position of authority, and six months to one year of imprisonment and fines up to NPR 20,000 for presenting false documents.
Silwal, who was appointed chairperson in February 2021 for a four-year term, had previously served as a Secretary for the Government of Nepal. His tenure has been marred by controversies, including the issuance of micro-insurance licenses in 2022, which faced heavy criticism for being granted amidst allegations of procedural irregularities.