KATHMANDU, Dec 28: Shera Durbar in Nuwakot occupies 184 ropanis of land, out of which 163 ropani should belong to the government, the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police concluded. The CIB has recommended transferring this land to the government's name.
CIB Chief AIG Deepak Thapa reviewed the facts uncovered during the investigation and recommended transferring the land to the government's name. The investigation determined that 163 ropani of land should belong to the government. The report highlights evidence indicating that 163 ropani and 13 anna of Shera Durbar in Nuwakot, historically known as the winter palace of Prithvi Narayan Shah, must be confiscated from the private company and registered under the government's name.
AIG Thapa stated that they have written to the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), requesting it to conduct further investigations and take action against the officials involved. "We have requested the CIAA for further action," Thapa said.
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The CIB concluded that the land registered under Annapurna Farming Company, led by CPN (Maoist Center) leader Bikesh Shrestha, should be transferred to the government's name. "Our investigation determined that 163 ropani of land should belong to the government," stated CIB AIG Thapa.
A private company began plotting and selling the land, prompting the government to initiate the investigation process. "We have already submitted the police investigation report and recommendations, and we have sent a letter to the CIAA to take action against those involved," said a senior CIB official.
Former Maoist central committee member and personal secretary to the then Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Shrestha purchased all the shares under the name of Annapurna Farming. The total area, including the surrounding land, amounted to 164 ropani, 13 anna, 3 paisa, and 1 dam, along with an additional 9 ropani, 175 ropani, 8 anna, and 2 dam, plus around 9 more ropani, making a total of 184 ropani. During the land survey in 2035 B.S., the land was registered under the name of Gaurishankar Farming Pvt. Ltd.
The decision dated June 25, 1987, changed the registration of the land from Gaurishankar Farming Pvt. Ltd. to Annapurna Farming Pvt. Ltd. The documents from July 2, 1987, reflect this change. The lands registered under the name of Annapurna Farming Pvt Ltd are located in Bidur Municipality, Ward No. 2, and listed in the land records under plot numbers 82, 83, 84, 87, 88, 89, 90, 92, 93, 94, 95, 97, and 98, totaling 13 plots. The land records show that these lands, associated with the Rani's palace, were involved in buying and selling transactions under the company's name, as confirmed by the documents from the land revenue office.
The farming company registered the land, including the palace, with only 3 plots of residential land. The land ownership records of Shrestha also list 5 plots of government land, 3 plots of pond land, 1 plot of banana land, and 1 plot of garden land. Although the lands with a pond, banana plantation, and garden automatically qualify as government land, the land survey shows that the farming company registered these lands under its name.
The Ministry of Land Reform has stated that this constitutes an abuse of state property. Similarly, the lands associated with the Queen's palace, including plot numbers 79, 80, and 81, as well as 981, have been subdivided into plots 1752 and 1753. Helen Shah sold about 20 ropani of land to Rajani Shrestha and Barsha Basnet (Chitrakar), both residents of Battar, Nuwakot, under their joint names.
The landowners subdivided plot number 81 and sold 9 anna of land to Basanta Bahadur Basnet, a resident of Tadi Gaunpalika, Nirjamandap, who is currently living in Kathmandu, for NPR 500,000 on January 29, 2024. After subdividing plot number 81, they registered the remaining 6 ropani of land under the joint names of Rajani Shrestha and Barsha Basnet.
