Pokhara, 4 August । Despite the public release of multiple audio clips and evidence linking him to a land scandal in Pokhara’s Litchibari, Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives, and Poverty Alleviation, Balram Adhikari, has not faced any action from Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. This stands in stark contrast to the swift resignations of General Administration Minister Rajkumar Gupta and former minister Ranjita Shrestha, who both stepped down from their positions after being implicated in similar bribery audio scandals. The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has also been criticized for its slow pace, as its investigation has so far been limited to individuals associated with the Litchibari land, land revenue office staff, and former ministers, without summoning the sitting minister for questioning.
Onlinekhabar had previously revealed that at least three key pieces of evidence implicating Minister Adhikari had been submitted to the CIAA. One audio recording allegedly involves a person claiming to have given NRs 2.5 million to the minister’s son, Manoj, for the appointment of Khembahadur Pun as the chairman of the Land Commission, a claim the minister denies. Another audio clip features a Non-Gazetted Officer from the Kaski Land Revenue Office, Deepak Subedi, claiming that NRs 7 million was spent to bring Land Revenue Officer Chiranjivi Paudel to his current post. Despite these repeated public revelations, the CIAA has yet to call Minister Adhikari for an official interrogation or statement, leading to widespread public questioning of the fairness and impartiality of the investigation.
The Litchibari land dispute itself is a decades-old conflict over the ownership of approximately 60 ropani (about 3.05 hectares) of land. While the court ruled in favor of the Shah family, the land title deeds are currently held by the Thakali family from Mustang, led by Indra Gauchan. Both parties have reportedly attempted to influence officials and ministers to favor their cause. Allegations have surfaced that Minister Adhikari received NRs 3.2 million through his son from the individual who recorded the audio clips, in exchange for assistance in resolving the land dispute. However, after the promised work was not completed, the audios were made public. In a press conference, Minister Adhikari defended himself by stating that his character should not be judged based on the words of a person who was intoxicated while speaking. The Prime Minister’s silence and the CIAA’s apparent inaction on a sitting minister involved in a high-profile corruption case have raised serious concerns about accountability and good governance in the country.
