The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) filed a second corruption case against former prime minister Madhav Nepal at the Special Court on Tuesday, accusing him of allowing the sale of 10 bighas of land held above the statutory land ceiling in the name of Rijal Canning and Company Pvt Ltd while he was prime minister. The case is linked to the alleged transfer and sale of land exceeding the legal limit held by Rijal Tashi Industries in Itahari, Sunsari, through a Cabinet decision.
Allegations over land above the legal ceiling
The CIAA’s case concerns land that, according to the allegation, was held in excess of the statutory ceiling. The commission alleges that Nepal allowed the sale of 10 bighas of the land associated with Rijal Canning and Company Pvt Ltd during his tenure as prime minister. The land is also connected in a separate report to Rijal Tashi Industries in Itahari, Sunsari, and an alleged transfer and sale carried out through a Cabinet decision.
The central issue in the case is the alleged handling of land beyond the legal limit. The CIAA’s accusation places the Cabinet decision and the subsequent sale at the heart of the matter, while identifying Nepal’s role as the prime minister who allegedly permitted the transaction. The allegations have been filed before the Special Court, which is the venue where the case will be heard.
The case refers to two company names: Rijal Canning and Company Pvt Ltd, under which the 10 bighas are described, and Rijal Tashi Industries, linked to the alleged transfer and sale in Itahari. The available details connect these references through the claim that land exceeding the statutory ceiling was held and then transferred or sold. The precise relationship between the companies and the full sequence of transactions was not detailed in the information provided about the filing.
Second case against Nepal
The filing is the second corruption case brought against Nepal, according to the CIAA announcement reported on Tuesday. The allegations in this case concern the land transaction and the Cabinet decision; the information available about the filing does not provide details about the subject or status of the separate case.
The accusation is an allegation, not a court finding. The CIAA has brought the case to the Special Court, and Nepal’s alleged responsibility will be considered through the proceedings. The filing itself does not establish that the former prime minister committed corruption, and no outcome of the case was included in the information available at the time of reporting.
The case raises a focused question for the court: whether the land was held above the statutory ceiling and whether the sale was allowed through the Cabinet decision as alleged by the commission. The CIAA’s filing places the former prime minister’s alleged involvement in that decision before the court for consideration. Further details about the claim, the parties involved and the proceedings may emerge as the case moves forward.
