Nepal’s PM Balendra Shah Launches Wealth Probe into Political Elite
Nepal’s newly appointed Prime Minister, Balendra Shah, has fulfilled a key campaign promise by establishing a specialized commission to investigate the hidden assets of the country’s political elite. The four-member panel, chaired by former Supreme Court Justice Rajendra Kumar Bhandari, is tasked with scrutinizing the wealth of high-ranking officials and politicians who have held public office over the past two decades, specifically since 2005. This initiative marks the first phase of Shah’s broader anti-corruption agenda, which aims to extend investigations back to 1990 in subsequent stages. The move addresses long-standing public frustration with graft and weak enforcement of existing laws, such as the 2002 Prevention of Corruption Act. While Nepal already has bodies like the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority, the new government intends to use this commission to generate actionable recommendations for these agencies. This action follows the recent arrest of ten high-profile figures on charges including money laundering and criminal negligence, signaling the administration's determination to break from past political practices and enforce strict accountability within the government.
Wire timeline
Nepal’s PM Balendra Shah Launches Wealth Probe into Political Elite
Nepal’s newly appointed Prime Minister, Balendra Shah, has fulfilled a key campaign promise by establishing a specialized commission to investigate the hidden assets of the country’s political elite. The four-member panel, chaired by former Supreme Court Justice Rajendra Kumar Bhandari, is tasked with scrutinizing the wealth of high-ranking officials and politicians who have held public office over the past two decades, specifically since 2005. This initiative marks the first phase of Shah’s broader anti-corruption agenda, which aims to extend investigations back to 1990 in subsequent stages. The move addresses long-standing public frustration with graft and weak enforcement of existing laws, such as the 2002 Prevention of Corruption Act. While Nepal already has bodies like the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority, the new government intends to use this commission to generate actionable recommendations for these agencies. This action follows the recent arrest of ten high-profile figures on charges including money laundering and criminal negligence, signaling the administration's determination to break from past political practices and enforce strict accountability within the government.
OCCRP