Nepal ex-PM faces graft charge over land deal with Indian yoga guru's firm
KATHMANDU (Reuters) -Authorities in Nepal have charged former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal with corruption and demanded a million-dollar fine over the purchase of land by a firm owned by Indian yoga guru Baba Ramdev, a court official said on Friday.
Nepal, prime minister between 2009 and 2011, faces charges of allowing Patanjali Yogpeeth Nepal company to purchase more land than it was legally allowed to own for herb production, processing and a hospital in the Himalayan nation 15 years ago.
Both Nepal and Patanjali Yogpeeth deny any wrongdoing.
The 72-year-old Nepal heads a small opposition group in parliament and his United Socialist Party says the prosecution is an act of "political vendetta" against him.
"I have not done anything illegal nor indulged in any corruption concerning Patanjali land deal causing any loss to the state," Nepal told the Kantipur daily newspaper.
The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), a corruption watchdog, alleged that some of the land, in Kavre district, was later allowed to be swapped with other land, or sold at a higher price, causing a loss to the state.
The allegations were set out in a charge sheet filed by the commission on Thursday at the Special Court in Kathmandu.
The commission demanded Nepal be ordered to pay a fine of 185.85 million Nepali rupees ($1.35 million). If found guilty he could also be sentenced to up to 17 years in jail.
A spokesperson for Patanjali in India denied any wrongdoing, saying it bought the land privately through due legal process.
"Patanjali has not acquired any government land. It is unfair to drag our name in local political vendetta actions and proceedings," S K Tijarawala, Patanjali's spokesperson, told Reuters in a text message.
The commission also charged 92 others, including some former ministers and officials, some of whom are already dead.
Yaga Raj Regmi, information officer of the court, said Nepal would receive a formal court notice giving him 15 days in which to present himself at court and the hearing would start after that.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
3 hours ago
- New York Post
Former FBI Director James Comey's daughter Maurene suffers high-profile loss as prosecutor in Diddy trial
Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey played a leading role on the eight-member team that prosecuted rapper Sean 'Diddy' Combs in a sex trafficking and racketeering trial that came to a close Wednesday with mixed results. The daughter of former FBI Director James Comey, Maurene Comey faced a setback when the jury found the performer not guilty of some of the most serious charges, including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. However, the jury did side with prosecutors on two counts, finding Combs guilty of violating the Mann Act of 1910 by transporting women across state lines for prostitution. Maurene Comey was a prosecutor in the Jeffrey Epstein trial prior to his death in prison and also had a lead role in Ghislaine Maxwell's trial. She leads the violent and organized crime unit in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York (SDNY). SDNY is the same stepping stone her father, James Comey, used to catapult himself to national prominence. 3 Maurene Comey arrives at the Federal courthouse during the Sean 'Diddy' Combs' sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy trial at U.S. court in Manhattan, in New York City, U.S., May 21, 2025. REUTERS The ex-FBI director and prominent Trump foe worked similarly as a federal prosecutor there in the 1980s, when noted Trump ally Rudolph Giuliani was the Reagan-appointed U.S. attorney. He returned to Manhattan in the 2000s after former President George W. Bush appointed him to the role once held by 'America's Mayor.' Lately, the elder Comey received blowback for posting a photo of stones on a beach in the shape of '86 47,' which many observers considered to be a wish for President Donald Trump's death – with '86' being a cipher for 'kill' and '47' denoting Trump as the 47th president. 3 Sean 'Diddy' Combs listens as prosecutor Maurene Comey makes her closing arguments during Combs' sex trafficking trial in New York City, New York, U.S., June 27, 2025, in this courtroom sketch. REUTERS In court, Maurene Comey offered the prosecution's rebuttal prior to the jury being sent off to deliberate the charges against Combs. Maurene Comey argued from the dais that Combs 'never thought the women he abused would have the courage to speak out loud what he had done to them,' and suggested the rapper believed he was 'untouchable.' She also offered arguments that Combs had been involved in firebombing a Porsche owned by rapper Scott 'Kid Cudi' Mescudi, according to TMZ. 3 Maurene Comey questions 'Jane' during Sean 'Diddy' Combs' sex trafficking trial in New York City, New York, U.S., June 9, 2025 in this courtroom sketch. REUTERS Every morning, the NY POSTcast offers a deep dive into the headlines with the Post's signature mix of politics, business, pop culture, true crime and everything in between. Subscribe here! At the close of the trial, Maurene Comey argued to Judge Arun Subramanian that Combs should be denied the bond requested by defense attorney Marc Agnifilo. 'There is serious relevant conduct here that will merit a lengthy period of incarceration,' she said, according to the New York Post. While occupationally a proverbial chip off the old block, Maurene Comey has remained largely silent during James Comey's recurring controversies, from his '86 47' post that drew demands for investigation by the Secret Service to his rhetorical battles with Trump.
New York Post
3 hours ago
- New York Post
The feds flubbed it with Sean Combs — and he's sure to end up a martyr now
After nearly two months of jaw-dropping testimony, Sean 'Diddy' Combs is skating on the most serious charges against him. It took jurors 14 hours of deliberation to deliver a profound statement: Federal prosecutors didn't provide enough evidence to convince them that Combs was a sex trafficker who sat atop a ruthless criminal organization. They did get him on transporting individuals to engage in prostitution. But, in my book, the 55-year-old Combs is still a monster of epic proportions. Advertisement 6 Sean Combs was acquitted of the most serious charges — racketeering and sex trafficking — against him in the federal trial that ended this week. REUTERS To recap: The fallen hip-hop mogul is a despicable coward who terrorized and intimidated women, using them as objects in his grotesque, baby-oil-soaked live-action pornos. And, as video showed, he beat the living daylights out of a girlfriend who managed to get on his bad side. Not that Combs has a good side — despite the reputation he tried to cultivate by crowning himself Hollywood's host with the most, throwing annual star-studded white parties for soulless celebrities. Not to mention all those fluffy interviews with hosts like Ellen Degeneres and Jimmy Kimmel, and the red carpets he walked wearing natty, tailored tuxedos and flashy watches. He was nothing more than a low-life cosplaying as an old-school gentleman. Advertisement Combs preyed on women who were much smaller than he and much more vulnerable. In some cases, women who depended on him for their career. But, in trying to bring him down, federal prosecutors took a massive swing and had a big ol' miss — a rare one for the Southern District of New York. As the trial played out, it felt like they were trying to make a five-course feast out of breadcrumbs and scraps. They overpromised and underdelivered. 6 The prosecution's star witness, Cassie Ventura, said that Combs beat her and forced her to perform in 'freak offs.' FilmMagic Advertisement The trumped-up charges, initially brought by now-ex-U.S. Attorney Damian Williams — who also indicted Mayor Eric Adams and, according to former colleagues, seemed to harbor his own political ambitions — did allow the full extent of Combs' depravity and violence to become a matter of public record. There were more celebrity name drops than a Grammy ceremony. Not to mention the most raw, lurid details about his bizarre bedroom proclivities, including drug-fueled sex marathons known as 'freak offs' which are, sadly, now a regular part of common vernacular. The most difficult memories to shake will be his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura's war stories — which she delivered on the stand while nine months pregnant and nearly seven years from Combs' vicious grip. 6 Sean Combs' children (including sons Justin, left, and Christian) were a constant presence during their father's sensational trial. REUTERS Advertisement She graphically described beat-downs from Combs that were so brutal, she had to convalesce in private. In one instance, Ventura said he kicked her in the face during a car ride from hell and later had her whisked away to the London Hotel to recover — despite her pleas to leave. It all made for sensational copy and salacious headlines, but it wasn't enough to put Combs away for good. This entire costly event was tantamount to what legal expert Neama Rahmani told The Post was the 'most expensive prostitution trial in American history' and a 'tremendous loss' for the prosecution. Not to mention, a circus. 6 In 2017, Cassie Ventura and Combs attended the Met Gala. Getty Images 6 For over two decades, Sean Combs was the toast of celebrity circles. TheEllenShow/YouTube It's unclear what kind of time Combs will actually serve, but he's facing a mountain of civil suits. He deserves to sink into the shadows of society. However, he'll likely have achieved martyr status for some — all for being prosecuted and persecuted for his 'swinger' lifestyle. Even outside the courthouse in downtown Manhattan, supporters celebrated by squirting baby oil at each other and dancing suggestively. Advertisement Given that his lone courtroom prop was the Bible, I predict he'll emerge at some point — hawking fake contrition and humility like another commodity. Maybe he'll even wear the collection of avuncular crewneck sweaters he sported during the trial. He'll say that he mistreated and beat women because he suffered from the holy trinity of deflection: mental illness, sex and drug addiction. It's not like much of this is a surprise. Combs has a track record of antisocial behavior, dating back to an infamous 1999 nightclub shooting in which he was charged with weapons possession but later acquitted. (His protege rapper Shyne was convicted of the shooting and later claimed he was 'set up to be the fall guy.') 6 A heavily pregnant Cassie Ventura provided jaw-dropping testimony about alleged physical abuse during her the trial of Combs, her ex-boyfriend. BACKGRID For decades, Combs ruled an industry that not only ran on misogyny but explicitly bragged about it against the backdrop of a funky beat. Advertisement There was a great irony to the start of Combs' downfall. Ventura testified that he had threatened to release videos of her in freak-offs with male escorts, and she was petrified that he'd follow through with it. In the end, it was Combs who was done in by a video — of him beating Ventura in 2016, as she tried to flee a freak-off at a Los Angeles hotel. Her 2023 lawsuit and allegations of sexual violence, which he quickly settled, set his legal troubles into motion. Then the damning video was leaked, bolstering her claims of brutality. I hope that video is his legacy and overshadows those not-guilty verdicts.
Business Insider
5 hours ago
- Business Insider
5 African leaders are set to meet with Trump
US President Donald Trump will hold the inaugural African Leaders' Summit of his second term next week in Washington, D.C., marking a watershed moment in his administration's relationship with the continent. US President Donald Trump is hosting an African Leaders' Summit in Washington, D.C., to enhance relations with African nations. Presidents from Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal are expected to discuss trade, security, and investment. The summit follows a peace agreement facilitated by Trump between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. According to media sources confirmed by Semafor and first reported by Africa Intelligence, the summit will bring together heads of state from various Western and Central African countries for high-level discussions on trade, regional security, and investment. Sources claim that Trump and presidents from Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal will attend the summit, which is reportedly scheduled for July 9–11, as seen on Reuters. The declaration comes only days after President Trump secured a peace deal in Washington between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The agreement intends to put an end to years of strife in eastern Congo and includes agreements to withdraw troops, stop supporting armed groups, and create a framework for cross-border and regional economic cooperation. While the meeting will likely highlight US-Africa collaboration, it will also take place against the backdrop of an impending trade dispute. In April, Trump proposed massive additional taxes on African imports under his "reciprocal trade" policy. Tariffs range from 10% on items from Kenya, Ghana, and Ethiopia to a whopping 50% on Lesotho. South African exports would be subject to a 30% tariff under the scheme. Tariffs were temporarily postponed for 90 days to enable negotiations with affected countries. However, the grace period is coming to an end, and many African leaders arriving in Washington are anticipated to lobby the US administration for an extension or outright exemption. A shift in US-Africa policy Trump's approach differs significantly from previous US administrations, which stressed aid and humanitarian assistance in their Africa policy. Instead, Trump has viewed United States-Africa relations through a lens of economic self-interest, security, and transactional diplomacy. In a statement on Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the United States will give preference to countries that exhibit "both the ability and willingness to help themselves" rather than a charity-based approach.
