Fiscal Nepal
First Business News Portal in English from Nepal
bishnu paudel arrest
KATHMANDU: Former Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel was brought to Kathmandu on Sunday after being detained in Surkhet, according to reports citing officials familiar with the investigation.
Paudel, who also serves as Vice Chair of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) (CPN-UML), was taken to the Department of Money Laundering Investigation shortly after arriving in the capital.
Authorities are preparing to present him before a court to seek permission for further investigation and detention, according to sources.
Officials associated with the investigation have reportedly said that the inquiry is related to the source of certain assets and share transactions that investigators consider suspicious. The case is being examined under Nepal’s anti-money laundering framework.
Paudel was in Surkhet on Saturday to attend a party program when law enforcement officials reportedly detained him. He was subsequently transported to Kathmandu overnight by road under police escort.
Prior to taking him into custody, investigators also conducted a search of his residence as part of the ongoing inquiry, sources said.
No formal charges have been announced publicly at this stage, and the investigation remains ongoing. Under Nepal’s legal system, individuals under investigation are presumed innocent unless proven guilty by a court of law.
The development has drawn significant political attention given Paudel’s senior position within the CPN-UML and his previous roles in government, including serving as Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister.
Further details are expected to emerge after investigators seek a court remand and provide additional information regarding the scope of the inquiry.
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