Pokhara Airport Corruption Case: Five Accused Released on General Date
24th February 2026, Kathmandu
The judicial proceedings surrounding one of Nepal’s largest infrastructure scandals have reached a critical juncture. On February 23, 2026 (Falgun 11, 2082), the Special Court of Nepal issued a significant order regarding the Pokhara Airport Corruption Case, directing the release of five high profile accused individuals on a general date. This means the defendants are not required to post bail or remain in custody but must appear before the court for all scheduled hearings. The bench, which included judges Narayan Prasad Poudel, Hemant Rawal, and Bidur Koirala, made this determination after a lengthy preliminary review of the charge sheet filed by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA). This decision highlights the complex legal maneuvers involved when high ranking former civil servants are implicated in multi billion rupee financial irregularities.
Pokhara Airport Corruption Case
The individuals released under this order include former secretaries Madhu Kumar Marasini, Mohan Krishna Sapkota, and Suman Prasad Sharma. Additionally, Prem Nath Upadhyay, a former deputy secretary, and Ram Chandra Subedi, a former manager at the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), were also granted the same status. The court’s rationale was based on Section 7(C) of the Special Court Act 2059, which provides the judiciary with the discretion to allow defendants to remain at liberty if their immediate detention is not deemed necessary for the integrity of the ongoing investigation. The bench noted that while these individuals were present in various project meetings and decision making committees, the evidence presented at this stage did not conclusively prove their direct personal benefit or malicious intent in the procurement process.
The Pokhara Airport Corruption Case is staggering in its scale, with the CIAA claiming a total embezzlement amount of approximately 8.36 billion rupees. The charge sheet, filed on December 6, 2025 (Mangsir 21, 2082), names 56 individuals, including five former ministers and dozens of senior bureaucrats. The core of the allegation involves the artificial inflation of construction costs during the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) phase of the project. A prior investigation by a subcommittee of the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) had even suggested that the irregularities could be as high as 10 billion rupees. The prosecution argues that the project was marked by deliberate cost escalation, abuse of public office, and a systematic bypass of standard procurement regulations to favor specific contractors.
The judicial handling of this case has seen a notable contrast between the Special Court and the Supreme Court of Nepal. While the Special Court has been relatively lenient regarding the detention of former secretaries, the Supreme Court recently overturned a similar order for Pradeep Adhikari, the former Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal. Adhikari was sent to judicial custody after the apex court determined that the severity of the charges and the level of his executive authority warranted detention. This divergence in judicial assessment reflects the nuanced nature of anti corruption law in Nepal, where the level of alleged involvement and the potential for tampering with evidence are weighed heavily against the personal liberty of the accused.
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The list of defendants in this case reads like a directory of Nepal’s senior bureaucracy over the last decade. Beyond the recently released secretaries, the CIAA has implicated former tourism secretaries Sushil Ghimire and Suresh Man Shrestha, as well as former law secretary Bhes Raj Sharma. The charges extend to members of a consultant team that was formed during the interim government of Khil Raj Regmi to conduct feasibility and cost studies for the airport. The prosecution alleges that these studies were manipulated to justify a significantly higher project cost than what was technically necessary. With more than 20 deputy secretary level employees and several former board members of CAAN also in the dock, the case threatens to paralyze parts of the civil service as senior officials spend their time in courtrooms rather than offices.
Strategically, the Pokhara Airport Case serves as a litmus test for Nepal’s ability to handle large scale infrastructure governance. The airport, built with a 215 million dollar soft loan from China’s EXIM Bank, has struggled with low international flight volumes since its inauguration, leading to concerns about the country’s ability to service the debt. The corruption allegations further tarnish the project’s reputation and raise questions about the transparency of foreign funded infrastructure deals. As the Special Court moves forward with examining the 40 separate points of accusation, the focus will be on the documentary evidence, including cabinet minutes, procurement files, and financial audit reports that span several years and multiple administrations.
The future of the case remains legally complex and is expected to take years to reach a final verdict. The defendants who have been released on a general date must maintain a strict schedule of court appearances, failing which their status could be revoked. For the general public, the case is a somber reminder of the challenges of public accountability in Nepal. The recovery of embezzled funds and the prosecution of those found guilty will be essential for restoring faith in the country’s anti corruption institutions. As the trial proceeds, it will likely prompt a national debate on the need for more robust institutional checks and balances to prevent similar irregularities in future mega projects like the proposed Nijgadh International Airport.
In conclusion, the release of five senior officials in the Pokhara Airport Corruption Case on a general date marks a procedural milestone in this massive legal battle. While it provides temporary relief to the former secretaries, the weight of the 8.36 billion rupee embezzlement claim remains a significant burden. The Special Court’s decision to follow the letter of the Special Court Act 2059 ensures that the trial proceeds in an orderly fashion without unnecessary detention, provided the accused cooperate with the judicial process. With dozens of high profile individuals implicated and billions of public funds at stake, the outcome of this case will undoubtedly define the standard for infrastructure governance and public accountability in Nepal for the year 2082 and the years to follow.
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