Courts charge corrupt politicians

Like some of their counterparts in India politicians in Nepal are also in the line of fire from courts these days. Utpal Parashar reports.

Updated on: Mar 22, 2011, 01:28:28 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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Like some of their counterparts in India politicians in Nepal are also in the line of fire from courts these days.

In less than a week, two politicians, a former minister and a lawmaker, have been sentenced to jail by courts on charges of corruption and bribery.

On Thursday, former minister and senior Nepali Congress leader Chiranjivi Wagle was sentenced to 18 months in jail and imposed a fine of NRs 20.3 million by the Supreme Court.

Wagle, who was sacked as a minister in October 2002, for amassing wealth disproportionate to his income, would serve a term of five years and five months, for expressing inability to pay the fine.

A senior member in the governments led by GP Koirala, KP Bhattarai and Sher Bahadur Deuba, Wagle had held charge several important ministries before his ouster. The SC verdict was the first instance of a senior politician getting convicted as per provision of the Corruption Prevention Act of 2002.

Wagle's arrest had barely left the headlines when a special court sentenced former Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist Leninist) lawmaker Dol Bahadur Karki to a six month jail term on Sunday.

Karki was suspended from his Constituent Assembly membership in August 2010 for accepting a bribe NRs 100,000 from a person by promising him the post of an inspector in Nepal police.

On Sunday, the SC summoned former inspector general of Nepal Police Pradip SJB Rana in connection with a 2005 case of allegedly accumulating property illegally.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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