KATHMANDU, Nov 13: The notorious tale of Rajiv Gurung, better known as Deepak Manange, has come to a full circle as the former gangster-turned minister of Gandaki Province finds himself back in jail after nearly two decades of legal and political twists.
Police arrested Manange from the capital’s Sano Bharyang area in the early hours of Tuesday following a Supreme Court ruling that upheld his attempted murder conviction for an attack on rival gangster Milan Gurung, aka Chakre Milan. The attack, which occurred in 2004, resulted in Chakre’s hand being severed. Despite years of legal battles and his political rise, the final verdict has sent Manange to Dillibazar Jail, where he now serves the remaining term of his prison sentence, which could extend to 26 months.
Once feared as a gang leader in the Kathmandu Valley, Manange’s name was synonymous with extortion, violence, and territorial warfare. In the 2000s, his gang controlled lucrative areas such as Thamel and Durbar Marg, while his long-time rival, Chakre Milan, dominated the regions around Chakrapath and Maitidevi. Their bitter rivalry fueled a string of violent clashes, with the 2004 attack on Chakre marking a turning point that would shape Manange’s future.
Though both men had deep criminal ties, Manange’s transition from gangster to politician has been equally dramatic. He entered politics in 2011, joining the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP). After failing to achieve much in the RPP, he joined CPN-UML out of the blue in September 2017, and finally became an influential figure in Gandaki Province. After failing to get a ticket from the CPN-UML, he contested the elections as an independent candidate.
In the 2017 elections, he won as an independent candidate from Manang Province (B) garnering 1,410 votes in the Provincial Assembly. His competitor Karma Gurung got 1020 votes. He was elected as a provincial assembly member from Manang twice (in 2017 and 2022), and served as a minister under several different party banners, including CPN-UML, Nepali Congress, and CPN (Unified Socialist).
Gangster Chakre Milan arrested
Despite his criminal history, Manange managed to establish himself as a key player in Gandaki Province politics, leveraging his influence to play a role in both the stabilization and destabilization of local governments. His political career, however, was not without controversy. Most recently, Manange made headlines for allegedly "auctioning" his ministry, further damaging his already tarnished reputation.
The Supreme Court's decision earlier this month, which upheld the Patan High Court’s verdict of five years imprisonment, has now put a definitive end to his political career. After a lengthy legal battle, Manange was finally convicted for his role in the attempted murder of Milan Gurung, a case that started in 2004 and has lingered through the years until the final verdict.
The case against Manange began when he attacked Chakre Milan in 2004, severing his hand with a sword in what was described as a gang-related dispute. The attack was brutal, but despite the severity of the crime, Chakre himself never filed a police complaint. It was his wife, Indira Gurung, who sought legal action, leading to a lengthy court battle.
The case, initially tried in the Kathmandu District Court, eventually landed in the Patan High Court and the Supreme Court, where Manange was found guilty. The Supreme Court upheld the sentence of five years in prison handed down by the High Court after ruling that the two-year sentence issued by the district court was too lenient. Despite having served two-years in prison from 2005 to 2007 following his initial conviction, Manange continued his political rise, evading the full weight of the law for over a decade as the case remained sub judice in courts.
With the final verdict from the apex court, Manange has already lost his provincial assembly seat, and his arrest has placed a spotlight on his criminal past, which many argue should have disqualified him from holding office in the first place.
In his final public statement before going underground, Manange expressed frustration over the media’s portrayal of him and confirmed his intention to face the court after receiving the full text of the verdict. He also claimed to have turned off his phone in response to what he described as “substandard” media attention.
Manange's criminal past
Rajiv Gurung, known as Deepak Manange, has a criminal legacy that dates back to the early 2000s, when he became infamous for extorting money from business persons in key areas like Thamel and Durbar Marg. He has faced multiple arrests throughout his controversial career. His first arrest came in 2059 BS (2002-03), and since then, he has been detained at least a dozen times for various offenses.
In 2004, Manange was involved in a brutal attack on rival gangster Chakre Milan, where he led a 15-man gang that nearly severed Milan’s left hand with a sword. Following the attack, Manange was arrested on March 31, 2005, and charged with attempted murder. He spent nearly two years in jail before being released in February 2007.
Manange’s criminal record continued with a 2008 assault conviction, for which he was sentenced to one year in prison. After serving only a month, he managed to get released by claiming to be Rajiv Gurung, not the accused Deepak Manange. However, his freedom was short-lived; he was rearrested in February 2009 for violating his release terms and later for manhandling a police officer. He was again freed on bail but faced continuous legal battles, cementing his notoriety both in crime and politics.
