CIAA files cases against 93 people including former PM Nepal

Kathmandu: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has today filed a charge sheet at the Special Court against 93 individuals including former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal regarding the land scam of Patanjali Yoga Peeth and Ayurveda Company Nepal.

With the filing of the charge sheet against former Prime Minister Nepal, who is also the chairperson of the CPN (Unified Socialist), his position as a Member of Parliament has automatically suspended.

According to the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2059, with the filing of criminal and corruption-related cases, there is a provision for the automatic suspension of individuals from public office.

Nepal is a member of parliament elected from the Rautahat district House of Representatives electoral constituency no 1 under the federal parliament.

CIAA has filed a case against the 93 individuals for purchasing at a lower price more land than permitted for company operations at Mahendra Jyoti in Nasikastan, Sanga, Kavrepalanchok, and selling it at a higher price.

The anti-graft body has determined that the founding member of the said company, Shaligram Singh, has acted in bad faith against the purpose of the company by using the name of the said company to benefit himself and other defendants in collusion with individuals holding public office, in violation of Section 10 of the Land Act, 2021.

CIAA has stated that in that case, the concerned individuals from the relevant bodies and public servants have abused their official positions and made illegal decisions with malice regarding government public property under their responsibility.

The commission claims that the land beyond the permitted ceiling should be confiscated and it will remain publicly owned according to Clause 11 of the same Act. The Commission’s spokesperson Rajendra Kumar Paudel informed RSS that the letter regarding the registration of the case has reached the Federal Parliament Secretariat.