Kathmandu, July 17 – A leaked audio recording has emerged, allegedly exposing Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, Balram Adhikari, in connection with a bribe of Rs 3.2 million related to a land registration transaction.
The audio, believed to be linked to a deal for transferring land ownership in Pokhara, suggests that Minister Adhikari facilitated the registration process in return for the bribe, which was reportedly received through his son, Manoj Adhikari.
The recording also implicates other high-level figures, including the former Minister for Federal Affairs and General Administration, Rajkumar Gupta, who allegedly accepted Rs 3.5 million, and the then Secretary of the same ministry, Arjun Pokharel, who is said to have received Rs 500,000. The total amount spent on the deal is claimed to have reached Rs 15 million.
This is not the first time Minister Adhikari’s name has surfaced in connection with corruption. In a previous audio that led to Minister Gupta’s resignation, both Gupta and an intermediary mentioned Adhikari’s involvement. At the time, Adhikari denied the accusations during a parliamentary session.
The newly leaked recording reportedly captures conversations about a coordinated effort to transfer 135 ropanis of land in Pokhara into private ownership. The release of this latest audio has added to the mounting controversy, prompting Gupta’s resignation earlier this week.
People’s New Monitoring Service
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