Nepal ex-PM faces graft charge over land deal with Baba Ramdev

Nepal’s Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal heads a small opposition group in parliament, and his United Socialist Party says the prosecution is an act of “political vendetta” towards him.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Authorities in Nepal have charged former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal with corruption and demanded a million-dollar superb over the acquisition of land by a agency owned by Indian yoga guru Baba Ramdev, a courtroom official stated on Friday (June 6, 2025).

Nepal’s Prime Minister between 2009 and 2011 faces costs of permitting Patanjali Yogpeeth Nepal firm to buy extra land than it was legally allowed to personal for herb manufacturing, processing and a hospital within the Himalayan nation 15 years in the past.

Both Nepal and Patanjali Yogpeeth deny any wrongdoing.

The 72-year-old Nepalese heads a small opposition group in parliament, and his United Socialist Party says the prosecution is an act of “political vendetta” towards him.

“I have not done anything illegal nor indulged in any corruption concerning the Patanjali land deal causing any loss to the state,” Nepal informed the Kantipur day by day newspaper.

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), a corruption watchdog, alleged that a number of the land in Kavre district, was later allowed to be swapped with different land, or offered at the next value, inflicting a loss to the state.

The allegations had been set out in a charge sheet filed by the fee on Thursday (June 5, 2025) on the Special Court in Kathmandu.

The fee demanded that Nepal be ordered to pay a superb of 185.85 million Nepali rupees ($1.35 million). If discovered responsible, he is also sentenced to as much as 17 years in jail.

A spokesperson for Patanjali in India denied any wrongdoing, saying it purchased the land privately by due authorized course of.

“Patanjali has not acquired any government land. It is unfair to drag our name into local political vendetta actions and proceedings,” S.Ok. Tijarawala, Patanjali’s spokesperson, informed Reuters in a textual content message.

The fee additionally charged 92 others, together with some former Ministers and officers, a few of whom are already useless.

Yaga Raj Regmi, data officer of the courtroom, stated Nepal would obtain a proper courtroom discover giving him 15 days by which to current himself at courtroom and the listening to would begin after that.