Kathmandu, Dec. 7 -- graft body on Sunday filed a corruption case against 55 individuals and one company at the Special Court, including five former ministers and 10 former secretaries, over irregularities in the construction of the $215.96 million China-funded international airport project in Pokhara.

According to the court, this is the biggest corruption case filed at the Special Court in terms of the cash involved under a state procurement process.

The anti-corruption body has determined Rs8.36 billion to be recovered from each of the 56 defendants, the largest financial penalty. The court will determine the sentencing of the defendants.

"They [all 55 individuals and the company] revised the approved cost estimate of the airport wit...