Mar 30, Kathmandu - In a significant move, the Government of Nepal has begun preparations to issue arrest warrants against 23 high-ranking officials, including all six living former Prime Ministers, for alleged money laundering and asset concealment. Under the direct order of Prime Minister Balendra Shah (Balen), the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), through the Nepal Police Headquarters, has initiated investigations targeting former Prime Ministers Sher Bahadur Deuba, K.P. Sharma Oli, Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda), Madhav Kumar Nepal, Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, and Jhalanath Khanal, along with other influential leaders.

Sources indicate that the police are fast-tracking legal procedures to arrest and investigate these leaders and their relatives for unexplained wealth. The crackdown follows relentless pressure from the Prime Minister, who has directed law enforcement agencies to expedite the process. The CIB has already begun collecting evidence and is working to obtain court approval for arrest warrants.

Notably, the investigation also covers former ministers and Madhesh-based leaders such as Uprendra Yadav and Sharad Singh Bhandari. Recent videos showing money burning at the homes of key leaders—such as Deuba and Prachanda—have served as catalysts for this crackdown, prompting authorities to probe their assets and sources of income.

The government suspects that decades of unchecked accumulation of wealth among influential leaders, facilitated by power and influence, may have led to illicit gains. A high-level commission has been formed to investigate the assets of all senior officials and staff post-2046 BS (2009 AD). 

Furthermore, authorities are also preparing to bring back ex-Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and his wife from abroad for questioning, possibly with INTERPOL assistance if they refuse to cooperate voluntarily.

Legal experts warn that if the investigation proceeds impartially and based on concrete evidence, it could usher in a new era of transparency and accountability in Nepal’s political landscape. However, they also caution that political interference could undermine the process and damage public trust in the justice system.