CIAA Files Corruption Case Against Former PM Madhav Kumar Nepal and 96 Others Over Government Land Deal

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a corruption charge sheet at the Special Court against 97 individuals, including former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and former minister and coordinator of the Cabinet's Social Committee, Minendra Rijal, over an alleged illegal government land transaction in Biratnagar, Morang. According to the CIAA, the case follows an investigation into the alleged illegal exchange and subsequent sale of government land registered in the name of Rijal Canning and Company Pvt. Ltd., located in the former Biratnagar Sub-Metropolitan City-3. The commission stated that some individuals involved in the case have already died, and their legal heirs have been named as defendants solely for the purpose of recovering the alleged financial loss. According to the investigation, Rijal Canning and Company had received permission in 2032 BS to retain land exceeding the legal landholding limit on the condition that it would operate a fruit-processing industry. However, the company allegedly failed to use the land for the stipulated purpose. A decision to confiscate the land was made in 2048 BS, but the restriction on the land was subsequently lifted in 2063 BS through alleged collusion among officials of various government agencies. In 2066 BS, the process of exchanging the Biratnagar land was initiated based on a decision of the Cabinet's Social Committee. The CIAA stated that 4 bighas, 5 kathas, and 9 dhurs of valuable land in Biratnagar were sold, while comparatively less valuable land in Banigama VDC was purchased in exchange. According to the commission, the company purchased the land in Banigama for Rs. 12.85 lakh, while the Biratnagar land was sold for Rs. 8.38 crore and 62.5 lakh. The CIAA concluded that the transaction caused financial losses to the government while providing unlawful benefits to the defendants. The commission has determined the total loss associated with the government land transaction at Rs. 73.49 crore (Rs. 734,956,000). The charge sheet names several former government officials, including secretaries, joint secretaries, under-secretaries, employees of land revenue and land reform offices, agricultural sector officials, school principals, and company directors, alongside former Prime Minister Nepal and former minister Rijal. The CIAA has sought imprisonment, fines equivalent to the claimed amount, and recovery of the alleged loss under the Prevention of Corruption Act. It has also demanded additional penalties against certain defendants. Furthermore, the commission has requested the confiscation of the disputed land, which has since been registered in the names of various individuals and institutions. The current landowners have also been named as defendants for the purpose of securing the confiscation of the properties in accordance with the law.