Story perspectives

Ex-Finance Minister Paudel Arrested in Money-Laundering Probe

6/24/2026

Summary

Paudel Arrested Over Laundering

Ex-finance minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel was arrested on June 22 on laundering charges and will be taken for Money Laundering Investigation Department, Abi Narayan Kafle said.
Paudel, a leader of the Communist Party of Nepal (UML), was detained after former Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli’s government fell following protests that killed at least 76 people.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah, since March, pledged to fight corruption as UML leaders meet on June 23.

Summary

Paudel Detained

Police detained Bishnu Paudel at about 5:15 pm on June 22 inside Shubh Hotel’s hall in Birendranagar, Surkhet.
Superintendent Thakur Prasad Paudel led the detention team while Deputy Superintendent Kabindra Singh Bohora confirmed the operation.
He was driven to Nepalgunj for a flight to Kathmandu because Surkhet lacks direct air connections.
Legal analysts demand the money-laundering department disclose the specific allegations to preserve public confidence.

History

Historical Context

The 2006 Jana Andolan II forced King Gyanendra to relinquish power, reinstated parliament on 24 April and installed Girija Prasad Koirala’s interim cabinet, a shift that followed a civil war that killed roughly 13,000 people. On 22 June 2024, former finance minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel was detained by the Money-Laundering Investigation Department, echoing the post-2006 drive to hold senior officials accountable under Prime Minister Balendra Shah.

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Paudel Arrested Over Laundering

Ex-finance minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel was arrested on June 22 on laundering charges and will be taken for Money Laundering Investigation Department, Abi Narayan Kafle said.
Paudel, a leader of the Communist Party of Nepal (UML), was detained after former Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli’s government fell following protests that killed at least 76 people.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah, since March, pledged to fight corruption as UML leaders meet on June 23.

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