KATHMANDU: A formal letter from the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), notifying Parliament of a corruption case against former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, has reached the Parliament Secretariat, according to Speaker Devraj Ghimire’s press advisor Shekhar Adhikari.

The CIAA has officially filed the case against Nepal—who currently chairs the CPN (Unified Socialist)—along with 92 others, over alleged irregularities in the land acquisition process for Patanjali Ayurved in Kavre.

As per legal provisions, Madhav Nepal — elected from Rautahat-1 — is automatically suspended from his parliamentary role following the filing of the case.

The CIAA has demanded restitution amounting to Rs 185.8 million from Madhav Nepal and others involved. According to Section 30 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2002, and Article 244 of the Constitution of Nepal, any public officeholder, including members of parliament, faces immediate suspension upon filing of a corruption case by the CIAA, even before a verdict is reached.

This marks a significant development as Madhav Nepal becomes the first former prime minister in recent history to be suspended from parliament due to a corruption case.