KATHMANDU, June 6: Lawmakers elected in the last general election continue to face scandal after scandal. In the latest development, the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) on Thursday filed a case at the Special Court against Madhav Kumar Nepal, Chairperson of CPN (Unified Socialist) and Member of the House of Representatives.
The CIAA accused Nepal of involvement in the purchase and misappropriation of public land in Kavre under the name of Patanjali Yogpeeth and Ayurveda Company Nepal. With the case filed, Nepal—also a former Prime Minister—automatically lost his parliamentary position through suspension.
The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has alleged that the government led by Madhav Kumar Nepal in 2009 (2066 BS) allowed Patanjali to buy and sell land beyond the legal ceiling. With Nepal's suspension, the number of currently suspended lawmakers has risen to four.
Authorities have suspended Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) lawmaker Rabi Lamichhane, CPN-UML lawmaker Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, Nepali Congress lawmaker Mohan Bahadur Basnet, and CPN (Unified Socialist) lawmaker Madhav Kumar Nepal following corruption charges in separate cases.
During this period, the authorities reinstated three lawmakers who had earlier faced suspension: Tek Bahadur Gurung from Nepali Congress, Laxmi Mahato Koiri from CPN-UML, and Arun Kumar Chaudhary from Nagarik Unmukti Party.
Meanwhile, two lawmakers—RSP's Rabi Lamichhane and Dhaka Kumar Shrestha—lost their parliamentary positions altogether. Although Lamichhane won re-election in a by-election, the authorities suspended him again after he was implicated in a cooperative fraud case. He had been elected from Chitwan-2.
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UML lawmaker Rayamajhi faced suspension after authorities filed a case against him in the fake Bhutanese refugee scam. Police arrested him on Baisakh 31, 2080 BS (May 14, 2023), and he remains in custody. Voters elected him to the House of Representatives from Arghakhanchi-1.
Similarly, the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) suspended Nepali Congress lawmaker Basnet after it filed a case against him in the Teramocs case at the Special Court. He was elected from Sindhupalchok-2. The CIAA registered the case on Jestha 1, 2081 BS (May 14, 2024).
Congress lawmaker Gurung, who was directly elected from Manang, has had his suspension lifted. He had remained suspended since Poush 8, 2079 BS (December 23, 2022). The CIAA had filed a corruption case against him at the Special Court on Magh 21, 2075 BS (February 4, 2019).
Gurung won the election from Manang while the case against him was still under consideration. After his election to the House of Representatives, the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) notified the Parliament Secretariat on Poush 8, 2079 BS (December 23, 2022), declaring his suspension under Section 33 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Although the parliament later lifted his suspension, the case is still ongoing. The Special Court convicted Gurung on Falgun 17, 2079 BS (March 1, 2023), in a case related to leasing 60 ropanis of land at Bhirkutimandap Fun Park at a low rate. He had earlier served as Minister of State for Labor and Employment in the Sushil Koirala-led government.
UML lawmaker Koiri, who was also under suspension, secured an election from Mahottari-1. Authorities had suspended him over his alleged involvement in the murder of Armed Police Force Assistant Sub-Inspector Thaman Bik.
Security forces arrested Nagarik Unmukti Party lawmaker Chaudhary on Magh 19, 2079 BS (February 2, 2023). Elected from Kailali-2, Chaudhary was later convicted in a case of arson involving public property.
Authorities released Chaudhary from Kailali Prison on Falgun 7, 2079 BS (February 19, 2023), following a presidential pardon. He had remained suspended until his release.
Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) President Lamichhane, elected to the House of Representatives from Chitwan-2, took office as Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister. However, on Magh 13, 2079 BS (January 27, 2023), the Supreme Court ruled him ineligible to contest a parliamentary seat and annulled his lawmaker status.
The Court concluded that he had not qualified as a candidate because he had failed to renounce his U.S. citizenship. After renouncing it, Lamichhane contested the by-election from the same constituency and won again.
Authorities suspended his lawmaker status on Poush 7, 2081 BS (December 22, 2024), after prosecutors filed a supplementary charge sheet in a cooperative fraud case involving organized crime and money laundering.
On Chaitra 29, 2079 BS (April 12, 2023), RSP expelled proportional representative lawmaker Shrestha from party membership after an audio recording revealed he had allegedly demanded Rs 20 million from Durga Prasai. As a result, Shrestha lost his parliamentary seat, and RSP appointed Bindhabasini Kansakar to replace him.
Similarly, legal troubles have caught Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) lawmaker Dhabal Shamsher Rana, Congress lawmaker Maya Rai, and RPP lawmaker Geeta Basnet. Authorities arrested Rana on Chaitra 15 (March 28, 2023) for allegedly participating in a violent protest in Kathmandu's Tinkune area. They charged him with criminal offences, and the court is currently hearing his case. Rana, elected from Banke-2, is not under suspension.
Authorities also arrested Congress lawmaker Maya Rai, accusing her of embezzling funds from Swarnalaxmi Saving and Credit Cooperative in Kalimati, Kathmandu.
After implicating RPP lawmaker Geeta Basnet in a cooperative fraud case, authorities issued an arrest warrant against her in Baisakh (April) 2080 BS (2023). Basnet remains absconding for allegedly embezzling savings from Chipchipe Consumer Cooperative in Kawasoti, Nawalpur.
