Former Prime Minister of Nepal, Madhav Kumar Nepal, has been charged with corruption by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), a corruption watchdog in the country. The charges relate to the purchase of land by Patanjali Yogpeeth Nepal, a company owned by Indian yoga guru Baba Ramdev, 15 years ago. The CIAA alleges that Nepal allowed the company to purchase more land than it was legally allowed to own for herb production, processing, and a hospital in Nepal.
The commission claims that some of the land was later swapped with other land or sold at a higher price, causing a loss to the state. As a result, the CIAA has demanded that Nepal pay a fine of 185.85 million Nepali rupees ($1.35 million) and faces up to 17 years in jail if found guilty. Nepal, who is currently the head of a small opposition group in parliament, has denied any wrongdoing, stating that he has not done anything illegal or indulged in any corruption concerning the Patanjali land deal.
Patanjali Yogpeeth has also denied any wrongdoing, with its spokesperson stating that the company bought the land privately through due legal process. The company has accused the Nepalese authorities of dragging its name into a local political vendetta. The United Socialist Party, which Nepal heads, has also described the prosecution as an act of “political vendetta” against him.
The CIAA has also charged 92 others, including some former ministers and officials, in connection with the case. The Special Court in Kathmandu will hear the case, and Nepal will receive a formal court notice giving him 15 days to present himself at court. The hearing will start after that. The case has sparked a political controversy in Nepal, with many seeing it as an attempt to target a political opponent. The outcome of the case will be closely watched, as it has the potential to have significant implications for Nepal’s political landscape.