KATHMANDU, June 6: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) filed a case against former Prime Minister and CPN (Unified Socialist) Chairperson Madhav Kumar Nepal at the Special Court on Thursday. Upon hearing the news, Nepal traveled from Rautahat to Kathmandu and met with party leaders.
Earlier, leaders, including Beduram Bhusal, had vowed to mount a strong protest. After Nepal arrived in Kathmandu, he held discussions with available party leaders.
Madhav Nepal, who built a reputation for integrity in politics and actively led anti-corruption campaigns, now faces a corruption case in the later part of his political career. The CIAA filed the case based on cabinet decisions made during his tenure as Prime Minister.
Considering the recent political situation, many see Madhav Kumar Nepal, once viewed as one of the weakest figures, as now carrying a stain of corruption on his five-decade political journey. Ironically, the CIAA filed a case against Nepal, who practices one hour of yoga daily, in connection with the Patanjali Yogpeeth land case.
Shortly after registering the case, Nepal traveled from his home district of Rautahat to Kathmandu and first consulted legal experts. He then met with party leaders. The legal experts advised him to face the court proceedings. Earlier, the commission recorded a statement from Chairman Nepal about his role in the decision-making process that allowed the sale of Patanjali Yogpeeth land, which had been exempted from the legal ceiling.
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Within the communist movement, leaders and observers have often portrayed Madhav Kumar Nepal as someone who lives a simple life—he avoids alcohol, maintains discipline, shows loyalty, and strictly follows party rules and procedures. As one of the key architects of the CPN-UML, Nepal held either the first or second top position in the party for 27 uninterrupted years. Although he later left UML and formed a new party, KP Oli now leads the UML, a party built through the efforts of Nepal and his peers.
Nepal began his political journey at the age of 13 and joined the Communist Party in 1969 (2026 BS). In 1971 (2028 BS), he came to Kathmandu to expand party activities and eventually rose to the country's top executive post. The decisions he made during that period have now come back to haunt him.
The CIAA summoned Nepal to provide statements not only about the decision to allow the sale of Patanjali land but also about cases related to the expansion of the Prime Minister's residence and the Lalita Niwas land scam. He has repeatedly clarified his position on the Lalita Niwas case and continues to claim innocence.
"Whoever engages in wrongdoing should not escape accountability. I am not guilty; I am not a criminal. I do not commit corruption, nor do I allow it. During my tenure, I made no new decisions to grant special benefits," Madhav Kumar Nepal said. He now reiterates the same stance in connection with the Patanjali Yogpeeth land case.
After the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) filed the case, Nepal accused KP Oli of orchestrating the move. He claimed that Oli directed the corruption case against him. "He (Oli) has targeted me from the beginning," Nepal said. "His goal is to destroy my political career."
Nepal further alleged that Oli has made repeated attempts to do so. He said Prime Minister Oli continues to act out of revenge. "He is driven by revenge," Nepal remarked.
Chairperson Madhav Kumar Nepal asserted that he has never committed any act of corruption. "I do not support wrongdoing. I have not acted improperly in any way. I never imagined that anyone would file a corruption case against me," he said. "I have never taken advantage with ill intent, engaged in corruption, or issued orders for unethical actions."
After the party meeting, he declared that he would neither flee nor back down. He pledged to confront the situation with determination. Whether serving as Prime Minister or as the party's General Secretary, he consistently upheld the belief that no one should tolerate corruption. Yet now, he stands accused of it.
Madhav Kumar Nepal became Prime Minister for the first time in May 2009 (Jestha 2066 BS). Although he lost in both constituencies during the Constituent Assembly election, Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala nominated him as a member of the Constituent Assembly in recognition of his role in the peace process. At the time, Nepal was a senior CPN-UML leader, but he did not hold the position of party chairperson or parliamentary party leader. Even though Jhala Nath Khanal served as the party leader, Nepal managed to become the prime minister. After the UML finished as the third largest party in the Constituent Assembly elections, he resigned from his post as general secretary.
After stepping down from the party’s executive position to take over the premiership, he said, “We must introduce many popular programs for the welfare and benefit of the people—let’s address the problems of the landless, discuss inclusive politics, and advance the path to socialism. These are all our positive commitments. From workers, farmers, and the laboring masses to youths and students, everyone must contribute from their place to fight injustice, oppression, exploitation, and discrimination and to build the nation.”
