KATHMANDU: The government is preparing to launch a comprehensive investigation into the assets of political leaders, senior bureaucrats, and politically appointed officials who have held public office since the restoration of democracy in 1990.
The move is being viewed as a major step toward controlling corruption and improving governance.
According to government estimates, around 10,000 individuals could fall under the scope of the investigation, including former prime ministers, ministers, lawmakers, top civil servants, and appointees across various state bodies.
High-level committee to be formed within 15 days
To carry out the process in a systematic and legal manner, the government is planning to form a high-level asset investigation committee within 15 days.
The committee is expected to include experts from finance, revenue, law, and investigative sectors. It will conduct the probe in two phases.
In the first phase, assets of individuals who have held public office from the 2006 People’s Movement to the present will be examined. The second phase will cover those who served between 1990 and 2005.
Officials say the phased approach will help cover different political periods and administrative structures effectively.
Long-standing concerns over illicit wealth
For years, public officials in Nepal have faced allegations of accumulating wealth beyond their known sources of income. Corruption concerns have frequently emerged in connection with large infrastructure projects, land deals, public procurement, and policy decisions.
Although previous commissions have been formed to investigate such issues, they have often been criticized for failing to fully implement or disclose their findings.
The current government appears determined to conduct a comprehensive probe covering all public office holders since 1990, aiming to address corruption at its roots.
Top leaders under scrutiny
Preliminary information suggests that the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police is also preparing to initiate investigations based on communication from the Department of Money Laundering Investigation.
High-profile political figures, including former prime ministers Sher Bahadur Deuba, KP Sharma Oli, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, and Madhav Kumar Nepal, are said to be under scrutiny.
Similarly, former minister Arzu Rana Deuba is also under investigation, while former minister Deepak Khadka has already been arrested.
Authorities have indicated that family members, close associates, and alleged intermediaries linked to political figures may also fall within the scope of the investigation.
Major corruption cases to be revisited
The government has also signaled plans to reopen investigations into several high-profile corruption cases.
These include the Wide-body aircraft procurement scandal, Lalita Niwas land scam, Fake Bhutanese refugee scam, gold smuggling cases, the Sudan scam, tax settlement controversies, the Teramocs system case, the security press procurement deal, and the Melamchi project, among others.
Many of these cases have remained unresolved or controversial despite drawing significant public attention in the past, prompting renewed calls for investigation.
Public pressure behind the move
The decision comes amid growing public demand for transparency and accountability in governance. In recent years, younger generations, particularly Gen Z, have increasingly pushed for stronger anti-corruption measures.
There have also been past demands, including around 2018, to form a high-level commission to investigate illicit wealth accumulation, though such efforts were not fully implemented.
Govt expects boost in public trust
The government believes the investigation will help identify misuse of state resources, control corruption, and prevent similar practices in the future.
Officials say the initiative is expected to strengthen public trust in state institutions.
The decision to probe assets of thousands of public officials since 1990 is being regarded as one of the most extensive anti-corruption drives in Nepal’s history.
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