Kathmandu— The Special Court has ordered former Minister for Federal Affairs and General Administration Rajkumar Gupta to be sent to custody for trial in connection with the Lichibari land corruption case in Pokhara.
A bench comprising Justices Sudarshan Dev Bhatta, Dilli Ratna Shrestha, and Vidur Koirala issued the order on Wednesday, directing that Gupta be detained until the conclusion of the trial.
According to Special Court spokesperson Krishna Sharan Lamichhane, the legal process to send Gupta to custody was initiated immediately following the court’s order.
The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) had filed a corruption case against Gupta on October 22, accusing him of accepting a bribe of Rs 5.3 million by misusing his ministerial position.
Allegations of misuse of authority
According to the CIAA, Gupta allegedly extorted money from real estate developers while serving as a federal minister, promising to influence administrative decisions related to land management in Kaski district.
The anti-graft body claims that Gupta assured developers he would prevent the transfer of the Land Revenue Office chief in Kaski and facilitate the appointment of a preferred official to the Land Commission in exchange for financial benefits.
Audio recording triggered investigation
The investigation into the case began after an audio recording involving Gupta and a middleman surfaced publicly. In the recording, the intermediary is allegedly heard discussing an immediate payment of Rs 2.5 million related to land transactions in Pokhara, with assurances that remaining arrangements would be completed later.
Based on the evidence collected, the CIAA charged Gupta with engaging in illegal financial transactions by abusing public office.
Custody until trial
The Special Court has ruled that Gupta should remain in judicial custody while the trial proceeds, citing the seriousness of the allegations and the nature of the evidence presented.
Further hearings in the case are expected to continue in the coming days.
