KATHMANDU: Questions surrounding Home Minister Sudan Gurung’s asset disclosure have intensified after discrepancies were found between his earlier public declaration and his recent explanations regarding share investments and loans.
In the asset details made public on April 12 through the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Gurung had left the loan section blank while listing significant movable and immovable properties.
According to the disclosure, Gurung owns 19 ropani 15 aana of land in Dhankuta, which he said was accumulated through various investments over time. He also stated that his family possesses substantial ancestral property that has not yet been formally partitioned.
The declaration further showed that his father, Dil Bahadur Gurung, owns 30 kaththa of land in Gunjanagar, Bharatpur Metropolitan City–18 in Chitwan.
Similarly, ancestral property belonging to his grandfather, Ramsal Gurung, and family members in Chumnubri of Gorkha district—amounting to 221 ropani of undivided land—was also listed.
In terms of movable assets, Gurung declared ownership of 89 tolas of gold and 6 kilograms of silver.
However, controversy has emerged over allegations that he concealed share investments made in companies linked to businessman Deepak Bhatta. Critics have claimed that these investments were not properly disclosed in the official declaration.
Loan claim and disclosure gap
In a lengthy Facebook post on Monday, Gurung clarified that he had taken a loan in 2023 to purchase shares in companies where Bhatt is also associated.
He said the loan was documented through a written agreement dated August 15, 2023. However, this loan was not reflected in his official asset declaration submitted to the government.
In the disclosure form, the section on loans taken, given, or repaid had been left blank.
Gurung later admitted that he had failed to include approximately Rs 2.5 million invested in Star Micro Insurance and Liberty Micro Finance in the appropriate category, claiming it was a classification error.
He maintained that his total listed investments in the stock market amount to Rs 27.45 million, and that the source of funds was a loan, which he says was not separately detailed in the disclosure.
Legal and political scrutiny
Under Nepalese law, public officials are required to fully disclose both assets and liabilities, including loans. Critics argue that any loan used for share investment should have been clearly mentioned in the original disclosure submitted on April 12.
Observers say the omission has now become central to ongoing scrutiny, as Gurung’s earlier declaration and his recent clarification appear inconsistent.
The controversy has further fueled debate over transparency and accountability in public office, with calls for clearer verification of asset declarations by high-ranking officials.
Authorities have indicated that the matter may be subject to further review as questions over disclosure accuracy continue to mount.
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