Detention Hearing Ends in Patanjali Land Case Against Former PM Madhav Nepal

The Special Court has concluded the detention hearing in the Patanjali land corruption case involving former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal. He appeared in court on Wednesday, where his statement was recorded, followed by a three-hour debate on whether he should be held in custody during the trial.

The CIAA (Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority) has accused Nepal of approving a Cabinet decision during his term that allowed the exchange of land with Patanjali, causing financial loss to the government. The prosecution argued that even Cabinet decisions can be investigated if they result in corruption and insisted that Nepal should not be exempt.

Nepal’s defense claimed the decision was policy-level and beyond the CIAA’s jurisdiction. However, prosecutors responded that the decision harmed state interests, and such acts are not protected under the label of “policy.”

Senior advocate Shambhu Thapa, representing Nepal, objected to the CIAA hiring private lawyers instead of government prosecutors. He also cited past court rulings where similar land exchanges were upheld and questioned the basis for treating Nepal as a criminal.

Other defense lawyers argued that the decision followed legal procedure and did not directly cause a loss to the state. To avoid delays, they requested the court consider their arguments collectively.

The panel of judges is now preparing the final decision, which is expected soon.