Nepal ex-PM faces graft charge over land deal with Baba Ramdev

Nepal’s Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal heads a tiny absorption radical successful parliament, and his United Socialist Party says the prosecution is an enactment of “political vendetta” against him. | Photo Credit: Reuters

Authorities successful Nepal person charged erstwhile Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal with corruption and demanded a million-dollar good implicit the acquisition of onshore by a steadfast owned by Indian yoga guru Baba Ramdev, a tribunal authoritative said connected Friday (June 6, 2025).

Nepal’s Prime Minister betwixt 2009 and 2011 faces charges of allowing Patanjali Yogpeeth Nepal institution to acquisition much onshore than it was legally allowed to ain for herb production, processing and a infirmary successful the Himalayan federation 15 years ago.

Both Nepal and Patanjali Yogpeeth contradict immoderate wrongdoing.

The 72-year-old Nepalese heads a tiny absorption radical successful parliament, and his United Socialist Party says the prosecution is an enactment of “political vendetta” against him.

“I person not done thing amerciable nor indulged successful immoderate corruption concerning the Patanjali onshore woody causing immoderate nonaccomplishment to the state,” Nepal told the Kantipur regular newspaper.

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), a corruption watchdog, alleged that immoderate of the onshore successful Kavre district, was aboriginal allowed to beryllium swapped with different land, oregon sold astatine a higher price, causing a nonaccomplishment to the state.

The allegations were acceptable retired successful a complaint expanse filed by the committee connected Thursday (June 5, 2025) astatine the Special Court successful Kathmandu.

The committee demanded that Nepal beryllium ordered to wage a good of 185.85 cardinal Nepali rupees ($1.35 million). If recovered guilty, helium could besides beryllium sentenced to up to 17 years successful jail.

A spokesperson for Patanjali successful India denied immoderate wrongdoing, saying it bought the onshore privately done owed ineligible process.

“Patanjali has not acquired immoderate authorities land. It is unfair to resistance our sanction into section governmental vendetta actions and proceedings,” S.K. Tijarawala, Patanjali’s spokesperson, told Reuters successful a substance message.

The committee besides charged 92 others, including immoderate erstwhile Ministers and officials, immoderate of whom are already dead.

Yaga Raj Regmi, accusation serviceman of the court, said Nepal would person a ceremonial tribunal announcement giving him 15 days successful which to contiguous himself astatine tribunal and the proceeding would commencement aft that.

Published - June 06, 2025 11:14 p.m. IST