KATHMANDU: The Special Court has sentenced Nagarjun Municipality Mayor Mohan Bahadur Basnet to eight years in prison after finding him guilty in a high-profile corruption and money laundering case.
The verdict, delivered by Justices Tek Narayan Kunwar and Ram Bahadur Thapa, comes following a case filed by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) on December 29, 2024.
According to the court ruling, Basnet was involved in corruption amounting to over Rs 92.2 million. He has been ordered to pay a fine of Rs 23 million and an additional Rs 262 million in penalties under the Anti-Money Laundering Act. The court found that Basnet laundered approximately Rs 131.2 million.
In addition to the prison sentence, an extra three months and 18 days of imprisonment was added due to the severity of the crime committed while in office. The court has also directed that the misappropriated amount be recovered from all four individuals involved in the case.
As per the judgment, Basnet must also deposit Rs 10.5 million into the Victim Relief Fund, while two other defendants, including businessman Raju Prasad Kandel, have been ordered to pay Rs 922,460 each in compensation.
The court cited the defendants’ social status, educational background, age, health, and the grave nature of the crimes in handing down a strict sentence. Legal experts say the ruling sets a strong precedent against corruption and money laundering at the local government level.
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