KATHMANDU: Mohan Bahadur Basnet, Mayor of Nagarjun Municipality in Kathmandu, has been found guilty of corruption by the Special Court.
A joint bench comprising Chairman and Judge Ek Narayan Kunwar and Judge Ram Bahadur Thapa delivered the verdict.
The court confirmed that Mayor Basnet accepted a bribe of Rs 92.246 million from Padma Colony Pvt. Ltd., Padma Merchant Company Pvt. Ltd., and the company’s chairman, Raju Prasad Kandel.
The bribe was given in exchange for facilitating the acquisition of land in the name of these companies.
Basnet’s wife, Urmila Basnet, was acquitted. The court ruled that the evidence presented was insufficient to prove that she knowingly accepted or was involved in the bribery.
Further investigation revealed that Mayor Basnet laundered the illicit funds. He allegedly divided the bribe money, invested it in land registered in his name, sold parts of the property, and transferred ownership to various individuals and companies. The laundered amount totaled Rs 131.127 million.
As a result, the court found Basnet guilty under Section 3, Sub-section 1, Clauses A, B, and C of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2064 (as amended), for committing prohibited financial activities.
However, due to a lack of evidence proving their involvement in money laundering, Padma Colony Pvt. Ltd., Padma Merchant Company Pvt. Ltd., and chairman Raju Prasad Kandel were acquitted of asset laundering charges.
A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for Ashad 16, during which penalties for Mayor Basnet, Padma Colony Pvt. Ltd., Padma Merchant Company Pvt. Ltd., and chairman Kandel will be determined for their roles in the bribery case. Mayor Basnet will also be sentenced for money laundering.
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