Kathmandu June 27 : The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police has extended the deadline for the investigation into the government documents forgery case against Meen Bahadur Gurung and four other former employees.

According to the CIB, Meen Bahadur Gurung, who is considered the main planner, has been arrested in connection with the case involving Lalita Niwas Land Scam. Along with him, four others have also been arrested. Additional four individuals, including former employees of the Land Reforms and Management Department and Revenue Office in Dillibazaar, have also been arrested.

Lalita Nivas Land SCam, along with the former Chief Election Commissioner Sudhir Kumar Shah, has been arrested in connection with the irregularity case.

The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) has arrested Shah on Tuesday. It was found during the investigation that a property belonging to Lalita Nivas was registered in the name of Shah’s wife. The CIB’s chief AIG Kiran Bajracharya has informed that Shah has been arrested based on this evidence.

The Bureau has informed that the arrests were made based on information obtained from various sources in Kathmandu. Those arrested include former Chief of the Revenue Office in Dillibazaar, Kaladhar Deuja, employees Surendraman Kapali, Dharmaprasad Gautam, and Bhuwan Mani Karki.

In this context, after Gopal Karki, a former employee of the Dillibazaar Revenue Office, was also detained earlier, the number of individuals arrested in connection with the case has reached six. All six individuals will face further proceedings in relation to the government documents forgery case.

To confiscate the land, a letter was issued by the Lal Mohar (official seal) of 1987 (during the reign of Prime Minister Bhimsen Thapa ), granted by the immediate Bagmaati Regional Office in 2023, which allowed it to be cultivated instead of being owned by the government. In 2047, the land was returned based on a decision made by the Cabinet, and the documents were created between 2058, 2062, 2066/67, and 2069 by taking possession of it, as collected by the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB). However, the government lawyers claimed it was false.

During the tenure of former Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli’s government, four senior officials of Nepal Police and four chiefs of the CIB were removed when they were advancing forward. Over fifty investigations were conducted by the CIB for more than three years to gather evidence and prepare reports. Four ministers and three secretaries were also transferred to the Ministry of Home Affairs responsible for directing the investigations and making them public. Everyone expressed their commitment to legally resolve the land-related issues and return the confiscated land.

The CIB has presented the 91-year-old evidence as proof. However, additional investigations were ordered to be conducted and sent back due to the incomplete report from the government lawyers.

Regarding the misuse of power by political figures, employees, and the capture of government land, the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed corruption cases in a special court under consideration. In this case, a former Prime Minister, three former ministers, and 175 others were accused of irregularities in Lalita Niwas (residence) land. In this matter, the accusers have also made the former Chief Commissioner of the CIAA, Deep Basnyat, a defendant. CIAA filed a case, including a demand of 504 million 47 lakh rupees, including bribes, against Sanchalak (director) Min Bahadur Gurung of Bhatbhateni.

For corruption charges, 110 individuals were prosecuted, and 65 individuals were accused of seizing government land. The total points claimed in the lawsuit against all the defendants are2 billion rupees. CIAA established the value of the confiscated land based on the minimum evaluation points set during the irregularity period and established the claim amount.