Nov 09, Kathmandu - The Central Bureau of Investigation (CIB) investigation into the Nepal Trust's land lease case at Durbarmarg has taken a new turn. As the tide is turning, there is a possibility that the then three Prime Ministers - KP Sharma Oli, Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' and Sher Bahadur Deuba - could be implicated in the case.

The CIB has arrested the then joint secretary of Nepal Trust, Lekh Bahadur Karki. According to the investigating officers, the lease case may have been initiated with the connivance of the trustee and chairman of the trust, not limited to the joint secretary level. According to the Nepal Trust Act, at that time, the Prime Minister was the trustee of the trust and the Home Minister was the chairman.

Background to the lease case:

The process of leasing 1 ropani 14 annas of land belonging to the Nepal Trust at Durbarmarg appears to be linked to political access and vested interests.

This process was started in 2071 BS during the then UML-Congress coalition government. Although discussions progressed when the late Sushil Koirala was the Prime Minister, no decision could be made.

After Oli became the Prime Minister in 2072 BS, the decision to lease the land was taken forward. At that time, the Trust Board of Directors had invited bids, specifying a construction cost of at least Rs 200 million and a commercial use period of 30 years. The minimum monthly rent was fixed at Rs 3,749,972.

When the proposal was called in Ashadha 2073, Prime Minister Oli and Home Minister Shakti Bahadur Basnet were present. The government had changed by the time the proposal was opened, and Prachanda was the Prime Minister at that time.

Despite the provision that an agreement should be reached within 90 days, the Nepal Trust signed the agreement only after about 9 months. Finally, on Jestha 14, 2074, a lease agreement was signed with Thamserku Trekking Pvt. Ltd., which was invested by the late Ang Tshering Sherpa, for 30 years. Sher Bahadur Deuba was the Prime Minister at the time of the agreement.

The Thamserku family is considered close to UML Chairman Oli. When Oli was Prime Minister, he publicly defended the family when disputes arose over leases granted to the Yeti Group in various places.

Thamserku's owner, Ang Tshering Sherpa, was the founder of the Yeti Group. After his death, his brother Sonam Sherpa took over the responsibilities of the company.