01
Court & CIAA Verified — No Speculation
अदालत र CIAA द्वारा प्रमाणित — कुनै अनुमान छैन
Court VerifiedCIAA
CASE
CASE
Accused: 55 individuals + 1 company
State loss: Rs. 8,360,000,000 (USD $74 million)
Lead accused: Ram Sharan Mahat (NC, Former Finance Minister)
Also charged: 4 former Tourism Ministers, 10 former Secretaries, senior CAAN officials
Foreign accused: China CAMC Engineering Co. Ltd + Chairman Wang Bo
State loss: Rs. 8,360,000,000 (USD $74 million)
Lead accused: Ram Sharan Mahat (NC, Former Finance Minister)
Also charged: 4 former Tourism Ministers, 10 former Secretaries, senior CAAN officials
Foreign accused: China CAMC Engineering Co. Ltd + Chairman Wang Bo
One of Nepal's largest ever corruption cases
Pokhara Airport Scandal — NC's Ram Sharan Mahat Among 55 Charged by CIAA
पोखरा विमानस्थल घोटाला — NC का राम शरण महत समेत ५५ जनाविरुद्ध CIAA मुद्दा
Ram Sharan Mahat (NC Senior Leader, Former Finance Minister) + 54 others
CIAA Filed: December 7, 2025 · Special Court, Kathmandu
Rs.8.36B
Estimated State Loss
Confirmed by CIAA
Confirmed by CIAA
CIAA filed charges against 55 individuals and one company in one of Nepal's largest-ever corruption cases — the construction of Pokhara Regional International Airport, built on a USD $216 million Chinese Exim Bank loan.
CIAA alleges Rs. 8.36 billion ($74 million) was siphoned through inflated cost estimates, single-source bidding awarded exclusively to a Chinese contractor, and manipulated construction oversight. NC senior leader Ram Sharan Mahat is accused of approving an irregular loan agreement while serving as Finance Minister in 2016.
A parliamentary Public Accounts Subcommittee report had already flagged Rs. 10 billion in irregularities and recommended prosecution. OCCRP described the filing as "a historic step in Nepal's anti-corruption efforts."
OCCRP · The Himalayan Times · Fiscal Nepal · Ekantipur — December 7, 2025
occrp.org — Full Report
ARREST
ORDER
ORDER
Lead accused: Balkrishna Khand (NC, Former Home Minister 2021–22)
Victims: 875 Nepali citizens — each paid Rs. 150,000–500,000
Total defrauded: Rs. 288,170,000
Charges: Treason · Organised Crime · Fraud · Document Forgery
Also investigated: Arzoo Rana Deuba (NC MP, wife of NC President Deuba)
Victims: 875 Nepali citizens — each paid Rs. 150,000–500,000
Total defrauded: Rs. 288,170,000
Charges: Treason · Organised Crime · Fraud · Document Forgery
Also investigated: Arzoo Rana Deuba (NC MP, wife of NC President Deuba)
NC Home Minister arrested — NC President defended him
Bhutanese Refugee Scam — NC Home Minister Arrested. NC President Publicly Defended Him.
भुटानी शरणार्थी घोटाला — NC गृहमन्त्री गिरफ्तार। NC प्रमुख देउवाले सार्वजनिक बचाउ गरे।
Balkrishna Khand (NC, Former Home Minister) · Arzoo Rana Deuba (NC MP, wife of Deuba)
Arrested: May 10–13, 2023 · Remanded: June 16, 2023 · Kathmandu District Court
875
Citizens Defrauded
Under NC Minister's Scheme
Under NC Minister's Scheme
A political-bureaucratic syndicate defrauded 875 Nepali citizens of Rs. 288 million — selling fake Bhutanese refugee documents with promises of US resettlement. NC Home Minister Khand is accused of falsifying a 2019 Cabinet taskforce report to add 875 Nepalis to the Bhutanese refugee list.
Charges carry 3–20 years imprisonment. NC's response was most damning: while CPN-UML immediately suspended its own accused leader Raimajhi, NC kept Khand as a Central Working Committee member. NC President Deuba publicly defended Khand. NC MP Arzoo Rana Deuba (Deuba's wife) was also brought under investigation, as reported by The Diplomat.
Al Jazeera (May 24, 2023) · Foreign Policy (July 3, 2023) · The Diplomat (May 2023)
aljazeera.com — Full Report
“
"Arzoo Deuba, a parliamentarian from the Nepali Congress and widely believed to wield power behind the scenes, is implicated in the investigation. She is the wife of Nepali Congress Chief Sher Bahadur Deuba."
— The Diplomat, May 29, 2023 · thediplomat.com
02
Further Verified Cases — Court & CIAA
थप प्रमाणित मुद्दाहरू — अदालत र CIAA
Verified Cases03
Lalita Niwas Land Scam — NC Deputy PM & Rana Family
Bijay Kumar Gachhadar (NC, Former Deputy PM) · Rukma Shamsher Rana
CIAA Filed: Feb 5, 2020 · Verdict: Feb 15, 2024
CIAA filed charges against 175 individuals — including NC leader Gachhadar and Rukma Shamsher Rana (NC founding family) — for illegally registering 299+ ropani of government land in Baluwatar into private names via forged documents.
Verdict (Feb 15, 2024): Special Court found Rana guilty — 2 years + Rs. 848,000 fine. Gachhadar acquitted via "policy decision" loophole. CIAA has appealed to the Supreme Court (2025).
Verdict (Feb 15, 2024): Special Court found Rana guilty — 2 years + Rs. 848,000 fine. Gachhadar acquitted via "policy decision" loophole. CIAA has appealed to the Supreme Court (2025).
Kathmandu Post · myRepublica · Fiscal Nepal
kathmandupost.com
04
Teramocs Telecom Scam — NC Member Basnet Suspended
Mohan Bahadur Basnet (NC Central Committee, Former Minister)
CIAA Filed: May 2025 · Parliament Suspension: May 15, 2025
CIAA filed a Rs. 3.21 billion corruption case over the Nepal Telecommunications Authority's Teramocs system procurement. NC member Basnet suspended from Parliament on May 15, 2025. The Himalayan Times: "The most prominent corruption prosecution of the year." CIAA cited bid manipulation, illegal decisions, and deliberate state loss.
The Himalayan Times · Khabarhub English (2025)
thehimalayantimes.com
05
NC Vice-President Dhanraj Gurung — Cooperative Fraud Investigation
Dhanraj Gurung · Vice-President, Nepali Congress
Active Investigation, 2024–2025
NC's own Vice-President is under investigation for cooperative fraud. Investigators suspect a fake divorce from his wife to evade financial accountability. Khabarhub, citing analysts: "A complete erosion of ethical standards within the party." Investigation ongoing with no consequences to date.
Khabarhub English (2025)
khabarhub.com
06
NC Shielded Convicted Khand — Deuba Publicly Defended Him
Sher Bahadur Deuba (NC President, Former PM) · Balkrishna Khand
June–December 2023 · Foreign Policy and Kathmandu Post confirmed
After the District Court remanded Khand, NC President Deuba publicly expressed support and anticipated his acquittal. While UML immediately suspended its accused leader, NC kept Khand as a Central Working Committee member.
Foreign Policy (July 2023) directly documented this contrast — one party accepted accountability, NC provided cover.
Foreign Policy (July 2023) directly documented this contrast — one party accepted accountability, NC provided cover.
Foreign Policy (July 3, 2023) · Kathmandu Post
foreignpolicy.com
“
"Leaders from all three major political parties have been implicated in major scandals. People rightly believe that formation of probe panels is no more than an attempt to douse immediate public anger."
— The Kathmandu Post, Editorial — "Maze of Scandals," 2025
03
Timeline of Failure — 2009 to 2026
कालक्रम — विफलताको इतिहास (२००९–२०२६)
Verified TimelineVerified Accountability Failures · Chronological
2009–11
Lalita Niwas Land Grab — Decision Made Under NC-Aligned Government
Under PM Madhav Kumar Nepal's coalition, 299+ ropani of government land in Baluwatar was illegally transferred to private individuals including NC-affiliated persons. CIAA did not file charges for over a decade.
2016
NC Finance Minister Mahat Signed Disputed Pokhara Airport Chinese Loan Deal
China Exim Bank loan agreement signed March 21, 2016. CIAA later alleged the agreement enabled Rs. 8.36B in systematic corruption, inflated estimates, and single-source contractor awards.
2021–22
NC Home Minister Khand Allegedly Enabled Rs. 288M Bhutanese Refugee Fraud
While serving as Home Minister, Khand allegedly falsified official records enabling 875 Nepali citizens to be defrauded of Rs. 288 million through fake refugee documentation.
May 2023
Khand Arrested. Deuba Defended Him. NC Kept Him on Party Committee.
Police arrested Khand (May 10–13). Court remanded him (June 16). NC President Deuba gave public defense. NC retained Khand as CWC member while UML immediately suspended its own accused leader. Arzoo Rana Deuba (NC MP) also investigated.
Feb 2024
Lalita Niwas Verdict: NC-Linked Rana Convicted. Former NC Deputy PM Escaped via Loophole.
Special Court convicted Rana (2 years + Rs. 848,000 fine). Former NC Deputy PM Gachhadar acquitted via "policy decision" argument. CIAA appealed to Supreme Court in 2025.
May 2025
NC Member Basnet Suspended from Parliament — Teramocs Rs. 3.21B Case
CIAA filed major telecom procurement corruption case. NC member Basnet suspended May 15, 2025. The Himalayan Times: "Most prominent corruption prosecution of the year."
Dec 7, 2025
NC's Mahat Among 55 Charged in Nepal's Largest-Ever Corruption Case
CIAA filed Rs. 8.36B ($74M) Pokhara Airport case against 55 individuals. Confirmed by OCCRP, The Himalayan Times, and Fiscal Nepal.