Ex-PM Madhav Kumar Nepal and ex-minister Minendra Rijal among 97 charged in Morang land swap

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), Nepal’s constitutional anti-corruption body, has filed a corruption case at the Special Court against 97 defendants, including former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and former minister Minendra Rijal, over the swap of land held under a land-ceiling exemption in Morang district. The charge sheet was filed on Tuesday 3 November (17 Kartik 2083 BS). The CIAA claims Rs 734.956 million (Rs 73.4956 crore).

These are the commission’s allegations; the court has not found anyone guilty. No public response from Mr Nepal or Mr Rijal to this case had been reported at the time of writing.

What the CIAA alleges

Nepal’s land reform law caps how much land a person or company may hold, but exemptions can be granted for industrial use. According to The Kathmandu Post and Republica, Rijal Canning and Company was allowed in 2032 BS (1975/76) to keep 59 bigha, 9 kattha and 12 dhur (about 40 hectares) above the ceiling on condition that it ran a fruit-processing industry. Because the land was not used as required, a decision to confiscate it was taken in 2048 BS (1991/92), but the confiscation was never completed.

According to the commission, in 2006 (2063 BS) the Land Reform Office in Morang lifted restrictions on two plots, covering 4 bigha, 5 kattha and 9 dhur (about 2.9 hectares), in what was then Biratnagar Sub-Metropolitan City ward 3. In December 2009 (2066 BS) the Cabinet’s Social Committee approved a proposal to exchange that land for an equal area in the then Banigama Village Development Committee. Mr Rijal was the committee’s coordinator and Mr Nepal was Prime Minister at the time.

The CIAA says the company bought the Banigama land for Rs 1.285 million (Rs 12.85 lakh) and sold the Biratnagar land for Rs 83,862,500 (Rs 8.38625 crore). The Kathmandu Post reported that the commission values the Biratnagar plots at Rs 734.956 million, which it treats as the loss to the state.

Who the defendants are

The Kathmandu Post reported that the commission has placed the defendants in three groups:

• 46 people alleged to have been directly involved in the decisions, including Mr Nepal and Mr Rijal, and former ministers, chief secretaries, secretaries, joint secretaries, under-secretaries and section officers; some of them have since died;
• heirs of deceased officials, named only for recovery of the loss;
• former directors of the company and later buyers and sellers of the land, named for confiscation of the land.

According to the CIAA’s press statement, the commission is seeking imprisonment, a fine in proportion to the amount claimed (bigo), recovery of the loss, additional penalties for some defendants and confiscation of the disputed land under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2059 (2002).

Second case against Madhav Nepal

This is the second corruption case against Mr Nepal. In June 2025 (Jestha 2082) the CIAA charged him and 92 others over the purchase and sale of land acquired under a ceiling exemption by Patanjali Yogpeeth. That case is pending at the Special Court, and Mr Nepal has denied wrongdoing.

What happens next

After registration, the Special Court summons the defendants to give statements and decides on interim custody or bail. Whether the charges are proved will be decided only after a full hearing.

Sources

The CIAA charge sheet has not been made public, so this report is based on media reports. The allegations have not been proved.

Other reporting

• Ex-PM Nepal, ex-minister Rijal among 97 charged in Morang land swap scam — The Kathmandu Post, 4 Nov 2026
• Madhav Nepal, Minendra Rijal among 97 charged in Rs 734.9 million land scam — Republica
• Corruption case against 97 people including former PM Madhav Kumar Nepal and Minendra Rijal — Kantipur, 3 Nov 2026