KATHMANDU, FEBRUARY 15
The Special Court on Thursday convicted a dozen people in the Lalita Niwas land embezzlement case.
A joint bench of judges comprising Khusi Prasad Tharu, Ram Bahadur Thapa, and Ritendra Thapa not only convicted 12 individuals but also ordered the sequestration of land registered and transferred to 65 individuals.
Special Court spokesperson Dhan Bahadur Karki informed that the verdict required the return of the land and the recovery of losses incurred due to the embezzlement of Lalita Niwas public land.
According to the court's decision, Ram Kumar Subedi, Shova Kant Dhakal (owner of Bhatbhateni supermarket), Min Bahadur Gurung (former secretaries at the land ministry), Chhabi Raj Pant, Dip Basnyat, and even the family of Subarna Shumsher have been found guilty. Others convicted include Kaladhar Deuja, Surendra Man Kapali, Yukta Prasad Shrestha, and Jagat Prasad Pudasaini.
A recovery of Rs 19.6 million will be collected from former secretaries Chhabiraj Pant and Dip Basnyat, as well as from former employees of the land revenue office and land reform office for embezzling 19 ropanis of land.
Meanwhile, the court acquitted former Minister for Physical Infrastructures Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar, former Ministers for Land Reform Dambar Bahadur Shrestha and Chandra Dev Joshi in this case. Similarly, former Secretary Dinesh Hari Adhikari was also acquitted.
The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) had filed a corruption case at the Special Court on February 5, 2020, alleging that 113 ropanis of Lalita Niwas public land had been transferred and registered in the names of individuals.
The CIAA had named 175 defendants, including four former ministers and three former secretaries in this case.
