KATHMANDU: On the day Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli marked the first anniversary of taking the oath of office for the fourth time, Federal Affairs and General Administration Minister Rajkumar Gupta resigned from his position following a serious bribery scandal.
Gupta, a CPN-UML lawmaker elected from Parsa constituency-3, submitted his resignation on Tuesday after an audio recording surfaced, revealing his alleged involvement in a bribe deal worth Rs 7.8 million related to the transfer of land revenue officers.
The leaked audio suggests that Gupta played a role in halting the transfer of the then chief of the Land Revenue Office in Kaski for Rs 5.3 million and sought Rs 2.5 million to appoint UML Gandaki Province member Khem Bahadur Pun as chair of the Kaski Land Commission.
Following the public release of the audio, the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) launched a formal inquiry. A complaint has already been filed against Gupta, and his parliamentary status may be affected depending on the outcome of the investigation. Observers, however, warn that the case could quietly fade like past scandals, including that of former minister Gokul Baskota.
Gupta announced his resignation via Facebook, claiming he was the victim of a conspiracy. He expressed his desire to assist in uncovering the truth by stepping down and submitting his resignation to Prime Minister Oli.
“A poison I didn’t consume seems to have affected me,” he wrote, suggesting he had been targeted unfairly and had fallen victim to “advanced technology.” His post conveyed thanks to everyone who supported him and expressed hope that others would not face similar ordeals.
Calls for Gupta’s resignation came from across the political spectrum. Members of both ruling and opposition parties raised the issue in Parliament, including Nepali Congress General Secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa. Despite mounting pressure, Prime Minister Oli did not dismiss Gupta but reportedly asked him to resign voluntarily.
Gupta’s resignation follows another controversy involving Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, who has been implicated in an illegal visa racket run from the immigration office at Tribhuvan International Airport.
The scandal came to light after the CIAA arrested the immigration chief Tirtharaj Bhattarai on June 21. Following this, opposition parties including the CPN (Maoist Centre), Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) began obstructing Parliament, demanding Lekhak’s resignation and the formation of a parliamentary or judicial probe committee.
Although the Maoist Centre later pulled back from the demand, RSP and RPP have continued their protest. Parliament has now been disrupted for 50 consecutive days, but neither has the government fulfilled the demands nor has Minister Lekhak resigned.
Leaders of the ruling coalition, including members of the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, have defended Lekhak, arguing that a minister does not need to resign simply because a subordinate has been arrested. However, Nepal’s political history offers numerous examples of ministers resigning over ethical and legal concerns, often under public or parliamentary pressure.
Former Finance Minister Janardan Sharma resigned in 2022 following accusations of involving an unauthorized person during budget formulation. Though later cleared by a parliamentary investigation, he stepped down to facilitate the probe.
Similarly, Gokul Baskota resigned in 2020 after an audio recording surfaced of him negotiating a Rs 700 million commission in a security press procurement deal.
In 2018, Law Minister Sher Bahadur Tamang resigned after making a controversial statement about Nepali students studying in Bangladesh. Agriculture Minister Hari Parajuli stepped down in 2015 after a video showed him misbehaving with women during a public event.
Other notable resignations include Land Reform Minister Prabhu Sah in 2011 over a murder case link, Defence Minister Sharad Singh Bhandari the same year after a divisive remark about Madhesh, and Finance Minister Mahesh Acharya in 2000 following dissatisfaction over the appointment of the central bank governor.
In the 1990s, prominent ministers like Ram Sharan Mahat, Shailaja Acharya, and Keshar Bahadur Bista also resigned due to controversy, with some later cleared of wrongdoing and reappointed.
Even during the Panchayat era, Prime Minister Kirtinidhi Bista resigned in 1973, taking responsibility after a fire destroyed the eastern wing of the Singha Durbar administrative complex.
Gupta’s resignation is yet another chapter in Nepal’s long list of political controversies, coming at a sensitive moment for the Oli-led government as it enters its second year.
With multiple corruption scandals now looming over the cabinet and rising pressure from both public and political quarters, questions over accountability and ethical leadership are once again at the forefront of Nepali politics.
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