NUWAKOT, Jan 1: The Nuwakot Land Revenue Office has filed a petition to bring 164 ropanis of land, out of the 184 ropanis associated with the Shera Durbar, under government ownership, claiming that political influence was being used to seize the land. Local residents voiced concerns, advocating for government ownership of the land near the historic palace. The office responded by sending the petition to the Department of Land Reform and the Ministry of Land Management.
The Land Revenue Office submitted the petition to the Ministry and the Department on December 2. "We endorsed the petition with the local's approval, stating that government authorities should investigate the land associated with the Shera Durbar and bring it under the government's name," the petition states. Sources within the Ministry state that share transactions concerning Annapurna Farming’s land occurred within the specified boundary at the Company Registrar’s office. Although the Land Revenue Office records the land in the name of Annapurna Farming, it appears that transactions occurred through the Company Registrar’s office.
"The land does not appear to have been traded. It looks like share transactions occurred. The land is in the name of Annapurna Farming," said Min Bahadur Bhattarai, the Land Revenue Officer of Nuwakot, over the phone. He also stated that, since this matter concerns higher authorities, it is not appropriate to provide further information from Nuwakot.
Pushpa Kamal Dahal, the chairman of the CPN (Maoist Center), initiated the process of releasing boundary limits and transferring the land to an individual's name when he became Prime Minister. During his tenure, the Company Registrar's office directly authorized share transactions. In 2016, when Dahal was Prime Minister, the Department of Land Reform sent a letter to the Ministry, requesting the release of boundary limits for land under the name of Annapurna Farming. Based on this letter, Bikash Shrestha transferred all shares to his name in 2023.
Govt to nationalize Shera Durbar land in Nuwakot
However, at that time, the Nuwakot Land Revenue Office also received demands to release boundary limits not only for Annapurna Farming but for other lands as well. After advising that the decision should come from the Council of Ministers, the process was halted. Ganesh Bhatta, spokesperson for the Ministry of Land Management and Cooperatives, declined to provide information on the matter. "There might have been general discussions, but no decision has been made yet that requires providing any information on the issue," he said.
Evidence shows that Bikash Shrestha, who legally entered the company in July 2016, knew the land was under boundary limits. Before he joined the company, the Department of Land Reform sent a letter to release the boundary limits during Dahal's tenure as Prime Minister.
In September 2016, the Ministry of Land Reform began the process of releasing the boundary limits. The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of the Police revealed this in its investigation. The CIB's investigation found that the land survey process was flawed. "The way the survey was conducted shows a wrongful intention, which is why the 164 ropanis of land should come under the government's name," a Ministry employee quoted from the CIB’s findings.
Recently, the Ministry of Land Management started the process of bringing 164 ropanis, 13 annas, and 3 paisas (a total of 175 ropanis, 8 annas, 2 dams, including the adjacent area of 9 ropanis, totaling 184 ropanis) of land under government ownership, based on the recommendation of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB). The ministry based this action on the fact that the land was registered under the name of Gaurishankar Farming Pvt Ltd when it was surveyed in 1978.
The decision made on June 25, 1987, changed the registration of the land to the name of Annapurna Farming Pvt Ltd. instead of Gaurishankar Farming Pvt Ltd., as recorded on July 2, 1987. The land registered under the name of Annapurna Farming Pvt. Ltd. includes 13 plots—numbered 82, 83, 84, 87, 88, 89, 90, 92, 93, 94, 95, 97, and 98-located in Bidur Municipality-2. Documents from the Land Revenue Office show that transactions for these lands, originally associated with the Royal Palace, occurred in the name of Annapurna Farming Pvt Ltd.
Of the lands registered under the farming company, three plots are residential, and five plots are public (government) lands. The records also state that three plots contain a pond, one plot has banana trees, and one plot is a garden. The ministry based its findings on these features as listed in the official land registration book. Although lands with features such as ponds, banana trees, and gardens are typically considered government property, further investigation by the Ministry of Land Reform revealed that these lands were surveyed in the name of the farming company. Consequently, the ministry is preparing to bring these lands under government ownership, recognizing the misuse of state property.
Helen Shah sold the lands associated with the Queen’s Palace, specifically plots numbered 79, 80, and 81 (with plot number 81 split into two parts, now numbered 1752 and 1753), including around 20 ropanis of land, to Rajani Shrestha and Barsha Basnet (a painter) hailing from Battar. The landowners divided plot number 81 and sold 9 annas of land to Basanta Bahadur Basnet, a resident of Nardhamandap, Tadi Gaunpalika, now living in Kathmandu, on January 29, 2024, for Rs 500,000. After splitting plot number 81, the remaining 6 ropanis of land were registered under the joint names of Rajani Shrestha and Barsha Basnet (the painter) as plot number 1753. Basanta Bahadur Basnet, who purchased the land, is a legal professional and has introduced himself as a district leader of the CPN (Unified Socialist) Party.
Helen Shah built a single-story structure with 10 rooms for residential purposes on the lands of plots numbered 79, 80, and 81. The Nepali Army also constructed a military barrack with five rooms in 1972 for palace security and added a garage structure. While some of these structures are still in use, others are in a dilapidated condition. On December 27, 2002 ,the Maoists set the Shera Durbar, also known as the Queen’s Palace, on fire, causing significant damage. At the time of the fire, Gyan Kumar Dangol's family, who had been living inside the palace for its upkeep, lost all their property and saw the palace suffer extensive damage.
The palace hall stands in ruins. Currently, Annapurna Farming owns the land, with Bikash Shrestha as its operator and majority shareholder. Bikash Shrestha, a former member of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal's personal secretariat and a central member of the Maoist party when it had 95 members, is linked to this farming company.
Locals from Nuwakot Shera claim that this connection suggests the involvement of the Maoist chairman's family. While Dahal has claimed to have no contact with Shrestha, it is significant that the final share transaction occurred during his tenure as Prime Minister. Additionally, a recent photograph surfaced showing him attending the wedding celebration of Shrestha's son, Manobal, on May 15, 2023.
