KATHMANDU: For many Nepalis, the allure of foreign lands represents a dream of opportunity—a chance to rewrite the script of their lives. But for those seeking to travel on visit visas, the path has been riddled with obstacles, corruption, and extortion. Beneath the surface lies a meticulously orchestrated scheme involving immigration officials, middlemen, and travel agencies, exploiting hopeful travelers under the guise of bureaucracy and ‘strict provisions.’

At the heart of the issue is a set of criteria introduced by the Ministry of Home Affairs, ostensibly to curb illegal migration. These provisions include requirements like proof of a high annual taxable income, prior travel history to Gulf countries, and English proficiency. Instead of ensuring legitimate travel, these measures have birthed a black market where travelers pay exorbitant fees—up to Rs. 300,000 for Europe-bound visit visas and Rs. 50,000 for other destinations—to circumvent the restrictions.

Every day, around 400 Nepalis attempt to leave through Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) on visit visas. Behind the scenes, a web of corruption facilitates their departure.

Evidence uncovered by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) reveals a tightly knit network involving immigration officials, police, travel agencies, and middlemen. These entities operate in unison, using coded language and hidden transactions to extort money.

The CIAA has spotlighted numerous actors in this scheme, including immigration officers, travel agents, and even those with controversial histories in government offices. Key figures, like Joint Secretary Tirtha Raj Bhattarai, have become emblematic of a system that prioritizes personal gain over public trust. Bhattarai’s return to a high-ranking position at TIA after a controversial tenure elsewhere raised eyebrows and pointed to a broader pattern of political interference in the immigration department.

On May 21, 2025, Tirtha Raj Bhattarai, Joint Secretary at the Home Ministry and former Chief Immigration Officer at Tribhuvan International Airport, was arrested by police following a Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) probe into alleged links with a human trafficking ring. He had only been transferred to the Home Ministry the previous evening. Prior to that, he headed the immigration office at TIA, where the CIAA launched a raid shortly before his arrest.

The CIAA initiated the raid after receiving multiple complaints about officials collecting large sums of money and illegally facilitating foreign travel on visit visas. During the operation, the CIAA seized computers, mobile phones, and other devices from the immigration office for detailed investigation. According to sources, investigators uncovered evidence suggesting Bhattarai’s collusion with a human trafficking gang. His mobile phone, now in CIAA custody, reportedly contains crucial information related to the case. Official documents have also been secured as part of the ongoing probe.

The Home Ministry had been alerted to the issue, prompting Bhattarai’s transfer just a day before his detention. The CIAA team continues to conduct raids at the immigration office, while airport officials have refrained from commenting on the situation.

How does the human trafficking network operate through Tribhuvan International Airport?

The human trafficking scheme at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) operates through a complex nexus of officials, brokers, and travel agencies who collaborate to exploit Nepal’s visit visa system. While official regulations were introduced by the Ministry of Home Affairs to discourage illegal migration—such as requiring English proficiency, prior Gulf travel, or proof of income—they have paradoxically fueled a black market.

Aspiring travelers, unable to meet these steep requirements, often turn to middlemen. These intermediaries, in collusion with immigration officials, help bypass legal scrutiny in exchange for large bribes.

For instance, travelers heading to Europe have reportedly paid up to Rs. 300,000 to ensure clearance at TIA. These illicit payments are funneled through coded conversations, unregistered bank transactions, and backdoor dealings involving travel agents and corrupt officials.

The process typically begins with a travel agency that promises a visit visa. Once a candidate agrees to the fee, the agency liaises with insiders at the airport—immigration officers or police personnel—who then facilitate the clearance process, often ignoring discrepancies or red flags. This system functions daily and handles hundreds of cases, with about 400 Nepalis attempting to travel on visit visas each day. The operation’s scale and consistency suggest institutional complicity, with minimal fear of legal repercussions until the recent crackdown by the CIAA.

Who is Tirtha Raj Bhattarai and what is his alleged role in the trafficking scandal?

Tirtha Raj Bhattarai is a senior bureaucrat serving as a Joint Secretary at Nepal’s Ministry of Home Affairs. He previously held the powerful position of Chief Immigration Officer at Tribhuvan International Airport. On May 21, 2025, Bhattarai was arrested by the police after the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) launched a probe into his alleged involvement in a human trafficking ring operating through TIA.

According to CIAA sources, Bhattarai is suspected of orchestrating or facilitating the clearance of travelers who did not meet the official criteria for foreign visits, in exchange for bribes.

His arrest came shortly after he was transferred back to the Home Ministry—a move believed to be a preemptive effort to distance him from the scandal. During the raid, the CIAA seized electronic devices from the immigration office and Bhattarai’s own mobile phone, which is now a key piece of evidence.

Sources within the investigation claim his phone contains incriminating communication with trafficking networks and evidence of financial transactions tied to illegal visa facilitation. Bhattarai’s history in government, marked by previous controversies, and his return to TIA despite public concern, has raised alarms about the culture of impunity and political interference in Nepal’s immigration system. His arrest marks one of the most high-profile detentions in recent memory tied to human trafficking in Nepal.

What happened during the 2023 TIA raid?

Between September 18 and October 17, 2023, the Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office launched a sweeping investigation that revealed deep-rooted corruption in Nepal’s immigration system. Authorities uncovered over 1,500 forged documents—ranging from fake educational certificates and bank statements to police reports and relationship affidavits—used to fraudulently obtain visit visas. The case broke open with the arrests of Deepak KC and Bal Bahadur Rawat, who ran a clandestine forgery workshop. Their clientele included travel agencies and consultancies looking to exploit hopeful migrants.

Further investigation led to the arrest of Saroj Yadav, a travel agency owner who confessed to paying off immigration officials. The operation was sophisticated: Rs 10,000 each to police and airline staff, and Rs 55,000 to immigration officers.

A key player, immigration officer Narbir Khadka, was caught red-handed after surveillance showed him collecting bribe money from a hotel counter in Sinamangal. His confession exposed an entrenched system within the immigration department, where bribes were routinely shared among staff.

In total, 22 individuals—including nine immigration officers—were charged with human trafficking. Ten were arrested while 12 others only appeared in court after case filings. Fugitive officials included Tara Bahadur Kunwar, Kushal Baral, Shailendra Dhakal, Bimal Paudel, Bishnu Aryal, Bikas Dangol, Pitambar Rimal, and Sujan Fago. The scandal exposed how even strict visa regulations had become tools for extortion, driving desperate Nepalis into the arms of traffickers.

Why were nine immigration officers, including Narbir Khadka, acquitted in the fake document visit visa case?

In the high-profile case involving the use of fake documents to send people abroad on visit visas, nine immigration officers, including Narbir Khadka, were acquitted by Kathmandu District Court in February 2024. These officers—Bimal Paudel, Tarabahadur Kunwar, Kushal Baral, Shailendra Dhakal, Bishnu Aryal, Bikash Dangol, Pitambar Rimal, and Sujan Phago—were previously accused of colluding with a criminal gang operating at Tribhuvan International Airport’s Immigration Office, facilitating illegal overseas travel through visit visa scams and engaging in illicit financial transactions.

Judge Ram Prasad Sharma presided over the case and ruled in favor of these officers, clearing them of all charges. However, the court found four other individuals guilty of forgery and organized crime related to the scheme. Convicted persons include Gita Shah, Arun Dahal, Saroj Kumar Yadav, and Ganesh Pandey.

The judge has ordered those sentencing proceedings be initiated against them. Among the convicted, Saroj Kumar Yadav is identified as a travel operator, while Arun Dahal is known as a broker.

This ruling has drawn attention to the differentiation made by the court between the allegedly involved immigration officials and the external conspirators who orchestrated the illegal activities. The acquittal of the officers highlights the complexity of corruption cases involving multiple actors within and outside government institutions.

How is former Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand linked to recurring scandals in Nepal’s immigration system?

Bal Krishna Khand, a senior Nepali Congress leader and former Home Minister, is among the most high-profile politicians linked to immigration-related scandals in recent years. His tenure at the Ministry of Home Affairs marked the introduction of the controversial 17-point guideline for visit visa issuance—a set of criteria that critics argue fostered corruption more than regulation. These provisions required prospective travelers to present documents such as educational certificates, bank statements, and proof of prior travel—conditions many ordinary Nepalis could not meet. Consequently, the system created a shadow economy in forged documents and bribes, pushing many into the arms of traffickers and unscrupulous agents.

Khand’s name resurfaced in a more severe scandal when he was arrested in May 2023 in connection with the fake Bhutanese refugee case.

Alongside Home Secretary Tek Narayan Pandey and others, Khand was accused of masterminding a scheme to collect money from Nepalis by promising resettlement in the United States as Bhutanese refugees.

The case exposed the abuse of power within the highest ranks of government, where official documentation was manipulated to support an international fraud operation. Khand’s arrest marked a rare instance of a former minister being held accountable, but it also pointed to a deeper malaise in the Ministry of Home Affairs. His involvement illustrates how senior political leadership has often played a pivotal role in sustaining and benefiting from systemic corruption in Nepal’s immigration sector.

What was Narayan Kaji Shrestha’s approach to immigration reform, and did it succeed?

Narayan Kaji Shrestha, a prominent leader of the CPN (Maoist Centre), served as Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister during a critical phase in 2023-2024 when Nepal’s immigration system was under intense public scrutiny. One of his early moves was to revoke the rigid 17-point guideline for visit visas introduced under his predecessor, Bal Krishna Khand. Shrestha implemented a simplified six-point visa criterion, which included basic travel documents like a valid passport, visa, return ticket, hotel booking or sponsorship letter, USD 500 in hand, and a self-declaration form. The intention was to streamline travel procedures and reduce dependence on intermediaries and corrupt officials.

However, despite these efforts, widespread corruption and document forgery continued unabated. The Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office’s probe into the TIA immigration racket revealed that even under Shrestha’s tenure, immigration officials and travel agents colluded to exploit loopholes and extort money from travelers. Human traffickers adapted swiftly, charging between Rs 15,000 and Rs 55,000 per person to manipulate the system. The persistent irregularities highlighted a critical weakness in Shrestha’s reform: while rules were changed on paper, there was no parallel overhaul of personnel or mechanisms to enforce transparency and accountability. As a result, his reforms were seen as superficial, unable to tackle the entrenched corruption within the department. This failure set the stage for continued racketeering, even under his successor, Ramesh Lekhak.

What specific involvement and responsibility does Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak have regarding the visit visa scam at Tribhuvan International Airport?

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak’s tenure has become synonymous with the visit visa scam that has rocked Nepal’s immigration system, particularly at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). Reports indicate that the fraudulent visa scheme generates illicit payments estimated at NPR 5 million daily from travelers passing through TIA, with suspicions that these funds are funneled up the hierarchy to senior Home Ministry officials.

A crucial concern is that many key personnel at the airport, including immigration officers directly involved in visa issuance, were handpicked by Lekhak, suggesting a system driven more by loyalty than merit. This patronage has compromised institutional integrity, enabling illegal operations to flourish.

Under Lekhak’s leadership, strict visa policies were aggressively implemented, creating conditions where officials allegedly extorted unauthorized fees from desperate travelers seeking to obtain visit visas.

As the Home Minister, Lekhak bears command responsibility for these malpractices and the broader mismanagement under his watch.

The controversy escalated with Lekhak’s appointment of Joint Secretary Tirtharaj Bhattarai as Chief Immigration Officer at TIA. Bhattarai, previously tainted by corruption scandals such as the Tarpaulin Purchase Scam and issues related to national ID card contracts, is now under CIAA investigation for manipulating visa processes for personal gain. Bhattarai’s sudden transfer during the probe has raised suspicions that Lekhak’s ministry might be attempting to obstruct justice or shield insiders.

Further criticism focuses on Lekhak’s pattern of controversial appointments throughout the Home Ministry and district administrations. Officials with questionable records—implicated in bribery, visa fraud, and document forgery—have been placed in powerful positions. For example, Lalbabu Kawari was appointed Chief District Officer (CDO) of Mahottari despite rules against posting officials in their home districts. Similarly, figures like Tokraj Pandey and Gogan Bahadur Hamal were elevated despite previous controversies.

These decisions have fostered what critics call a “labor transportation club,” where loyalty to Lekhak often outweighs competence and accountability. Opposition and civil society groups have demanded Lekhak’s resignation to restore trust and enable impartial investigations. While Lekhak has pledged to quit politics if proven guilty, the growing body of evidence and public anger have severely damaged his credibility.

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak’s leadership is central to the persistence and deepening of the visit visa scam. His policy enforcement and appointment decisions have not only enabled corrupt networks but also undermined efforts to reform Nepal’s immigration system. With investigations ongoing and public pressure mounting, Lekhak may soon face repercussions beyond political condemnation.

How has Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak publicly responded to allegations of involvement in the visit visa scam?

After several days of silence, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak addressed the visit visa scam allegations on May 24, making a firm public commitment. He declared that if any evidence proves his involvement in corruption—related not only to the visit visa scandal at Tribhuvan International Airport but in any part of his political or public career—he would resign immediately and quit politics altogether.

Lekhak stated, “I want to assure everyone that if even a single instance of financial irregularity on my part is proven, I will step down—not only from my ministerial post but from politics itself.”

This bold declaration came amid mounting public outrage and intense media scrutiny, particularly following accusations by the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP). The RSP alleged that Lekhak and his secretariat were complicit in human trafficking through the misuse of visit visas, demanding his immediate resignation to ensure an impartial investigation.

On the same day, the Ministry of Home Affairs released an official statement denying any involvement of its leadership in the immigration scam. The ministry condemned the spread of what it described as “fabricated, misleading, and baseless” news reports, asserting a zero-tolerance stance toward illegal or corrupt activities. The statement emphasized that the ministry is cooperating fully with the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), which is currently probing the immigration office’s operations. The ministry promised to disclose all factual findings once the investigation concludes.

Joint Secretary Chhabi Rijal further stressed the ministry’s dedication to maintaining peace, security, law and order, and good governance across Nepal. The ministry highlighted ongoing efforts to implement policy and institutional reforms aimed at strengthening administrative integrity. Rijal also urged media organizations to focus on truthful, fact-based reporting to avoid fueling misinformation.

Through these responses, both Minister Lekhak and the Ministry of Home Affairs have sought to firmly reject the corruption allegations while pledging transparency and cooperation with investigative authorities.

How has Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak’s tenure affected institutional reforms and accountability within Nepal’s immigration and Home Ministry?

Since assuming office in July 2024, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has struggled to restore stability or enforce meaningful reforms within Nepal’s Ministry of Home Affairs, which was already mired in scandals. Instead of combating corruption and human trafficking, Lekhak’s leadership has coincided with the expansion of a large-scale human trafficking network that exploits the visit visa system.

A significant factor contributing to this stagnation is Lekhak’s decision to reinstate officials previously implicated in corruption cases, most notably Ganesh Ojha, to influential ministry positions. This move has drawn sharp criticism and accusations that the ministry continues a “revolving door” culture—recycling tainted bureaucrats rather than holding them accountable. Such practices severely undermine efforts to implement structural reforms and foster a culture of impunity.

A formal complaint against the ministry reveals that illicit revenues generated from the fraudulent visit visa scheme were allegedly distributed among top officials including Minister Lekhak, Home Secretary Gokarna Mani Duwadi, Chief Immigration Officer Tirtharaj Bhattarai, and bureaucrats Khagendra Subedi, Balkrishna Poudel, and Bimal Poudel.

The complaint also implicates Ganesh Ojha and Janak Bhatt from Lekhak’s secretariat as key orchestrators of the visa “setting” racket.

These revelations have amplified calls for accountability, with whistleblower Yubraj Safal urging the Prime Minister’s Office and the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) to suspend both Lekhak and Secretary Duwadi and initiate legal action against all involved. Safal has also demanded a comprehensive review of the visit visa system over the last five years, including whether visa holders actually returned to Nepal, highlighting ongoing concerns about unchecked trafficking facilitated by officials.

The scandal deepened as the CIAA launched an investigation into Bhattarai for collusion in trafficking. Opposition parties and civil society have questioned how accused officials remain in powerful roles while fresh allegations surfaced suggesting Lekhak’s own secretariat’s possible complicity.

However, the persistence of scandals during his tenure—ranging from the Bhutanese refugee fraud scandal to the visit visa scams—exposes systemic weaknesses and entrenched networks of politicians, bureaucrats, and traffickers that continue to operate unhindered. With public outrage mounting, Minister Lekhak faces increasing demands to either initiate genuine reforms or step aside to facilitate a transparent investigation.

What is the official position of Nepal’s major political parties on the visit visa scam involving Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak?

The visit visa scandal that has rocked Nepal’s immigration system—allegedly implicating Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak in organized extortion and human trafficking at Tribhuvan International Airport—has prompted strong and unified responses from almost all opposition parties. While the opposition has vocally demanded Lekhak’s resignation to facilitate an impartial investigation, the ruling parties, particularly the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, have conspicuously refrained from issuing any official stance on the minister’s accountability.

Within the ruling Nepali Congress, despite the silence from the party leadership, pressure is growing from internal factions. Senior leader Shekhar Koirala publicly urged Lekhak to resign on moral grounds, arguing that stepping down would demonstrate ethical leadership and allow for a credible probe. Koirala stated that, given the gravity of the allegations and the fact that the Home Ministry is under Lekhak’s command, the minister must vacate his post to ensure an unbiased investigation.

Similarly, Nepali Congress leader and House of Representatives member Sunil Sharma also emphasized that Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak should show moral responsibility. Sharma said, “A principled leader like Ramesh Lekhak should resign before the Parliament session begins and ask for an investigation into himself. I believe he would say so.”

Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) leader and former Education Minister Sumana Shrestha has described this incident not as a “visit visa case” but as a case of human trafficking. She has made serious allegations, claiming high-level involvement in the incident.

Expressing her outrage on social media, Shrestha said, “To all of you who send your own children to unfamiliar places without any labor rights protection, to the foreigners who buy them by assigning them a ‘price,’ and to those of you who, instead of stopping such acts, seek to profit from it — heartfelt condolences — even hell may not be a reward enough for you!”

Quoting an investigation officer, she mentioned the statement “this would not have been possible without blessings from above” and questioned whose “blessings” the Under Secretary had received.

After Home Minister Lekhak’s name was linked to the immigration corruption scandal, pressure for his resignation has been mounting from both within and outside his party. There is growing demand for an impartial investigation and strict action against those responsible.

The main opposition parties have been far more direct and unanimous. The Maoist Centre, Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), Unified Socialist, Janamat Party, and JSP Nepal have all called for Lekhak’s immediate resignation. They argue that credible evidence points toward institutionalized corruption within the immigration system, reaching the minister’s own secretariat. These parties emphasized that resignation is a prerequisite for an impartial investigation, as Lekhak’s continued presence in office could hinder due process.

The Maoist Centre, through its General Secretary Dev Gurung, emphasized that when public suspicion reaches the ministerial level, stepping aside becomes a democratic necessity. The RSP, Nepal’s fourth largest party, took a firmer stance, warning of potential disruptions in Parliament if Lekhak refuses to resign. Party spokesperson Manish Jha reminded Lekhak of his past calls for moral accountability from others and urged him to apply the same standards to himself.

The RPP and Unified Socialist echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the need for systemic accountability and condemning political protectionism in corruption cases. The JSP referenced global norms of ministerial resignation for lesser failures and labeled Nepal’s governance culture as suffering from a “drought of ethics.” The Janamat Party went a step further by urging the Nepali Congress to recall Lekhak if he refuses to resign voluntarily, arguing that his continued presence undermines the credibility of both the government and the investigative process.

What is the official stance of the ruling Nepali Congress and CPN-UML on the visit visa scam and calls for Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak’s resignation?

The ruling parties—the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML—have not taken a clear or unified official stance on the growing controversy surrounding Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, who is facing serious allegations of overseeing a corrupt extortion racket at Nepal’s only international airport. Despite mounting calls for Lekhak’s resignation from opposition parties and even senior figures within the Congress itself, the two ruling coalition partners have largely sidestepped the question of ministerial accountability.

The Nepali Congress, Lekhak’s own party, has notably avoided either defending or denouncing the embattled minister.

In a carefully worded statement, party publicity head Min Bishwakarma said the party “neither supports nor pressures” Lekhak to resign. Instead, the Congress appears to be taking a wait-and-see approach, relying on Lekhak’s public assurances that he will cooperate fully with investigations, including those by the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), and will make statements in both houses of Parliament. Bishwakarma stressed that the party sees no need to comment further on the matter at this point, citing Lekhak’s own initiatives to clarify and assist with the probe.

The CPN-UML, the second largest coalition partner in government, has taken a similarly non-committal position. According to UML publicity chief Rajendra Gautam, the party believes the issue of moral responsibility lies with the individual and their party. While the UML supports an impartial and expanded investigation, it refrains from passing judgment or demanding a resignation until guilt is legally established. Gautam emphasized the need for neutrality in the investigation process but stopped short of endorsing any punitive action against Lekhak or urging him to step aside in the interim.

This strategic silence from the ruling alliance stands in stark contrast to the vocal demands for accountability from opposition parties, civil society, and sections of the public. Critics argue that the unwillingness of the Congress and UML to confront the issue directly—despite clear allegations involving individuals in Lekhak’s own secretariat—reflects a broader pattern of political protectionism. Observers warn that this inaction not only hampers the credibility of any investigation but also erodes public trust in the government’s commitment to integrity and rule of law.

While senior Congress leader Shekhar Koirala has publicly called for Lekhak’s resignation on moral grounds, the lack of a formal party position from the Congress or UML indicates that the coalition is choosing to ride out the controversy rather than confront it head-on. As pressure mounts from all sides—including threats of parliamentary disruption by the Rastriya Swatantra Party—both ruling parties are under scrutiny for appearing more focused on coalition stability than on upholding democratic accountability.

How has the public responded to the visit visa scam involving extortion at the immigration counter?

The Nepali public has responded with fury and disbelief to revelations that a systemic extortion racket operated within the immigration desk at Tribhuvan International Airport under the very watch of the Home Ministry. The public outrage has been especially intense on social media, where platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter) have become outlets for widespread anger, satire, and protest.

Hashtags demanding the resignation of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak and calls for accountability from political leaders have trended repeatedly over the past week, reflecting a growing sense of betrayal and frustration with Nepal’s political class.

Many users have pointed out the hypocrisy of political leaders, especially Lekhak himself, who in the past had demanded others’ resignations on moral grounds. Memes and viral videos are circulating, portraying the Nepali state as a “crime syndicate in uniform,” where even those meant to enforce the law are extorting ordinary citizens. Some social media posts from affected travelers describe first-hand accounts of being asked for bribes or facing harassment at the airport. This has deepened the perception that the immigration desk—Nepal’s international face—is tainted with corruption and thuggery.

Citizens have also criticized the silence of the ruling parties, accusing them of protecting political allies rather than upholding ethical governance. Civil society activists and youth-led groups have begun organizing online campaigns, virtual discussions, and are reportedly planning public protests. Many argue that the scandal is not just about one minister but symptomatic of a broader moral collapse in Nepal’s political system. The anger is not confined to Kathmandu; diaspora communities abroad have also voiced concern, noting that the scandal damages Nepal’s international image and makes travel more difficult for ordinary Nepalis.

In essence, the public reaction has been intense, vocal, and unforgiving. With the credibility of key institutions now under question, public trust in the state has suffered another blow. The scandal has become a lightning rod for accumulated anger over political impunity, bureaucratic dysfunction, and the absence of ethical leadership in the country.

What does the visit visa scam reveal about systemic corruption and political impunity in Nepal?

The visa scam has become a stark illustration of entrenched systemic corruption and the widespread culture of political apathy and elite impunity in Nepal.

The fact that organized extortion of outbound travelers could persist for months—possibly years—right under the nose of the Home Ministry reflects not merely individual wrongdoing, but an institutional failure of oversight, accountability, and political will.

Multiple reports and testimonies suggest that the extortion ring at Tribhuvan International Airport was not a rogue operation but a well-oiled, institutionalized network involving immigration officers, agents, and officials linked to higher political offices. Allegations that some members of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak’s own secretariat were in communication with the traffickers raise troubling questions about how deeply political patronage and protectionism have corroded Nepal’s governance systems. Critics argue that such syndicates can only flourish in an environment where accountability is systematically obstructed and corrupt officials are shielded by their political patrons.

The scandal has also exposed the apathy of major political parties, particularly those in power. Despite serious allegations and public outcry, the Nepali Congress and UML have refused to take a definitive stance, signaling their unwillingness to risk internal instability or coalition friction for the sake of ethics. This reflects a broader pattern in Nepali politics: when faced with crises of accountability, parties often choose partisan preservation over institutional reform.

Moreover, Nepal’s investigative bodies, like the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), are perceived as slow, selective, and politically influenced. In such a climate, ministers and senior officials rarely face real consequences. Even when scandals are exposed, resignations are rare, prosecutions are slower, and convictions even rarer—fueling a sense of elite immunity from the law.

The visa scam has become a litmus test for Nepal’s political leadership, state institutions, and civil society. If no decisive action is taken, it will likely reinforce public cynicism and embolden corrupt networks. The scandal has not just embarrassed the country—it has illuminated a crisis of accountability, revealing that without radical reform and political courage, systemic corruption will continue to undermine Nepal’s democratic institutions and international credibility.