Kathmandu, June 26
Former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal has been released on a bail guarantee of Rs 3.5 million in connection with the Patanjali land deal case. He exited the Special Court premises in Babarmahal on Wednesday night after posting a bank guarantee, following a court order issued late in the evening.
The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) had filed a case against Nepal, alleging his involvement in the controversial land exchange and sale that exceeded legal landholding limits under the name of Patanjali. The bench comprising Justices Tej Narayan Singh Rai, Ram Bahadur Thapa, and Bidur Koirala ordered his release on bail after reviewing his role during his tenure as chair of the Council of Ministers.
The Special Court rejected the request to release Nepal on a general date, citing his position and responsibilities as Prime Minister at the time of the Cabinet decisions related to the land transactions.
The court stated that the Rs 3.5 million bail amount was determined considering Nepal’s official capacity and the nature of the allegations. He has been summoned to appear in court again on July 29.
Nepal left the court without making any comment to the press.
The court noted in its order that the final verdict will determine whether the Cabinet decisions that allowed a company to purchase land beyond the legal ceiling and resell it for non-original purposes fall within the scope of policy decisions or not.
