Reimbursement of Expenditure on Treatment Abroad Raises Questions About Legal Consequences

The Nepal Communist Party (NCP) has verified that the amount spent on medical treatment for former President Ram Baran Yadav, ex-Prime Ministers KP Sharma Oli and Jhala Nath Khanal totaling around 3.7 crore rupees has been refunded to the government. A former Supreme Court justice has mentioned that those returning the funds might not face legal repercussions, including prosecution or reduced penalties. The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has indicated that due to confidentiality reasons, information on the ongoing investigation within the commission cannot be disclosed. In the past, there has been widespread opposition over government officials, including constitutional body officials, utilizing significant amounts from the state treasury for medical treatment expenses. Recently, the Supreme Court dismissed a mechanism related to this matter. As per the information provided by the Ministry of Finance, 44 lakh 27 thousand rupees were spent on the treatment of former President Ram Baran Yadav, 2 crore 63 lakh rupees in the name of former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, and 60 lakh 3 thousand rupees under ex-Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal's name, which have been reimbursed.