Madhav Kumar Nepal's statement recording underway at Special Court
Court's Information Officer Yagyaraj Regmi said Nepal’s statement recording is underway under the bench of judges Tejnarayan Singh Rai, Ram Bahadur Thapa, and Bidur Koirala.
Kathmandu: CPN (Unified Socialist) Chairperson Madhav Kumar Nepal has appeared in the Special Court.
Chairperson Nepal reached the Court to record his statement on the Pantanjali Land Scandal on Wednesday.
Court's Information Officer Yagyaraj Regmi said Nepal’s statement recording is underway under the bench of judges Tejnarayan Singh Rai, Ram Bahadur Thapa, and Bidur Koirala.
The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) filed a case at the Special Court on June 5 (Jestha 22), naming Nepal and 92 others as defendants in the Patanjali land case.
The CIAA has sought recovery of Rs. 185.85 million in damages, along with penalties and prison sentences for Nepal.
The Council of Ministers, led by Nepal, had approved the purchase of land with a ceiling exemption and later permitted its sale. In a cabinet meeting held on February 1, 2010 (Magh 18, 2066 B.S.), the government granted Patanjali permission to purchase 815 ropanis of land with a ceiling exemption.
Similarly, on March 19, 2010 (Chaitra 6, 2066), the cabinet decided to allow Patanjali to sell the land it had purchased with a ceiling exemption. After this decision was made, the CIAA launched an investigation on suspicion of corruption.
According to the Land Act, 2021, land can be kept under the ceiling exemption for productive industries or businesses, but such land is not allowed to be sold. However, the charge sheet filed by the CIAA at the Special Court states that this land was sold to various individuals.